“Uncle Herbert is dead,” she answered.
“When did he die?”
“Yesterday morning. They wrote at once. The funeral is to take place to-morrow afternoon, at three o'clock.”
“Uncle Herbert was rich, wasn't he, mother?”
“Yes, he must have left nearly a hundred thousand dollars.”
“What a pile of money!” said Herbert. “I wonder how a man feels when he is so rich. He ought to be happy.”
“Riches don't always bring happiness. Uncle Herbert was disappointed in early life, and that seemed to spoil his career. He gave himself up to money-making, and succeeded in it; but he lived by himself and had few sources of happiness.”
“Then he had no family?”
“No.”
“Do you think he has left us anything, mother?” asked Herbert, with something of hope in his tone.