“What do you mean by that?” he demanded, when she did not finish her sentence.
“I was wondering—if it would bring him any more.”
“They haven’t lost it?”
“Oh, no, but they’ve spent a lot—and Hattie is beginning again her old talk that she must have more money in order to live ‘even decent.’ It sounds very familiar to me, and to Jim, I suspect, poor fellow. I saw him the other night, and from what he said, and what she says, I can see pretty well how things are going. She’s trying to get some of her rich friends to give Jim a better position, where he’ll earn more. She doesn’t understand, either, why Jim can’t go into the stock market and make millions, as some men do. I’m afraid she isn’t always—patient. She says there are Fred and Elizabeth and Benjamin to educate, and that she’s just got to have more money to tide them over till the rest of the legacy comes.”
“The rest of the legacy!” exploded Mr. Smith. “Good Heavens, does that woman think that—” Mr. Smith stopped with the air of one pulling himself back from an abyss.
Miss Maggie laughed.
“I don’t wonder you exclaim. It is funny—the way she takes that for granted, isn’t it? Still, there are grounds for it, of course.”
“Oh, are there? Do you think—she’ll get more, then?” demanded Mr. Smith, almost savagely.
Miss Maggie laughed again.
“I don’t know what to think. To my mind the whole thing was rather extraordinary, anyway, that he should have given them anything—utter strangers as they were. Still, as Hattie says, as long as he has recognized their existence, why, he may again of course. Still, on the other hand, he may have very reasonably argued that, having willed them a hundred thousand apiece, that was quite enough, and he’d give the rest somewhere else.”