“Well, then, no ‘Jamesing’ of me. I think it is very queer of your daughter not to reply to me when I send her expensive and handsome things. What did she say in her letter to you?”
“Oh, she was very grateful, of course, Bo-peep.”
“Well—but—where’s the letter? I may as well see it. There’s stuff in that girl. I don’t despair of her yet. She has 142 a head for business. I wouldn’t have your dear little head muddled with business, but your daughter’s a different person. She has nothing whatever to live on except what I allow her, and unless she is to starve she has got to please me.”
Mrs. Martin might have said, had she not been afraid, that Maggie was certainly entitled to her own father’s money; but it is to be regretted that Little-sing had not much courage.
Matilda came in with the coffee, which caused a slight diversion, more particularly as it was not to Martin’s taste, who desired her to take it away again, and request Horniman to send him something fit to drink. When the door was closed behind Matilda he renewed the subject of the letter.
“I saw you reading something as I came along,” he said. “When I peeped in at the window you had a letter in your hand. Who has been writing to you?”
“Only Maggie.”
“And that is the letter you spoke about?”
“Yes, dear James—I mean Bo-peep—yes. The child is very grateful.”
“She ought to be. I’d like to see the letter. Where is it?”