“Well, he could get it for me if he wanted to. He’s got plenty of money. I’m tired of being treated like a beggar. He says he’s carrying on his business so that he’ll have money to leave me when he’s dead; but that isn’t what I want—I want it now.”
“Won’t you go down stairs, Ben?” she begged. “You almost broke my shoulder, but I shan’t mind that if you will go down stairs; and I’ll straighten up these papers for you and return them to their places.”
“I won’t! I’m going to see if that money he got from Fogg yesterday is here.”
“He put it in the bank of course, Ben; he wouldn’t run the risk of keeping it in the house.”
“You go down stairs or I’ll make you,” he threatened.
She did not go.
“What do you want the money for—to pay a gambling debt to Arkwright?”
“Arkwright!” he screamed at her. “It’s always Arkwright! But I’ll tell you, this money isn’t for him. Instead of troubling me, why don’t you go to that puler, Justin? He’ll be glad to see you, maybe; I’m not. So clear out.”
“He is your brother!”
“My half-brother, _he_ says; I’ve not acknowledged the relationship yet!”