“Oh, sir! let us keep Uncle Rufus, then,” begged Ruth, quickly.
“But you understand, Miss Kenway, that this request, unsigned as it is, hasn’t an iota of legal weight?”
“I don’t care!” said Ruth.
“Why didn’t the old man show it to me?”
“He was keeping it to show to the relatives of Uncle Peter who, he expected, would have the old Corner House.”
“Ha! and he was afraid of the lawyer, I suppose?”
“You—you were not very sympathetic, were you?” said Ruth, slowly.
“Right! I wasn’t. I could not be. I did not see my way clear to making any provision for Uncle Rufus, for I knew very well that Mr. Stower had not mentioned the old serving man in his will.”
“Well—you’ll let us keep him?”
“If you like. I’ll see that he has a little money every month, too. And now I must not give you much more time to-day, my dear. But I wish to put this envelope into your hand. In it you will find the amount of money which I consider wise for each of you girls to spend monthly—your allowance, I mean.