"And I hope you won't go and stand into the light of your own dear nephew by raising up of any objections to his going along of his sister to Blue Cliffs," added the old lady.
"I stand in the light of my own poor, dear, dead brother's son! 'Tain't likely!" exclaimed Uncle Jacky, with an injured air.
"No, John, I don't think it is. And so, I hope, instead of oppo-po-po-opposing on him, you'll encourage him to go along of his sister to Blue Cliffs to-morrow," said the old lady.
"Mother, I shall do what is right," answered John.
"And lookee here, Jacky! Don't you let on to Alden that any on us have such a thought as him going there to court the heiress, for ef you do, he's so high and mighty he'd see us all furder fust before he'd budge a step to go to Blue Cliffs, sister or no sister. So mind what I tell you, John."
"Mother, I will do all that is right," repeated John, with pompous dignity.
"I only hope as you will. And so good-night, my son," said the old woman, as she lighted her bed-room taper and left the room.
Laura came down-stairs early the next morning, and found her brother alone in the big parlor.
And then she showed him Emma Cavendish's letter.
And when he had read it through, she said, quite piteously: