"Then it is Mr. Van Horn, I suppose. What do you know to his disadvantage?"
"I know nothing at all about him, except that he and his wife have very expensive habits," replied John. "But the very fact that I know nothing about him is enough to make me uneasy at seeing all your capital put into his hands."
"It is not all my capital," replied Mrs. Train. "There is the money Aunt Eunice left me."
"A life-interest is not capital, exactly," said John, dryly; "and two hundred a year, without your house, is hardly enough to support you."
"It would have been more than a life-interest if I had had my right," said Mrs. Train, sharply. "I shall always think there was something wrong about that affair."
"I do not well see what there could wrong about it," said John. "I suppose Aunt Eunice's will was a surprise to everybody. I am sure it was so to me; and I think it must have been to you; for I remember your telling me, before I was married, that the old lady had only a life-interest in her husband's estate, and that she could not have saved much, for she was always giving away. I see nothing in the will to cause surprise, since Letty was as nearly related to her as Agnes, and had always seen a great deal more of her."
"Well, well, all that does not matter now," said Mrs. Train, rather impatiently. "She had her own way; and that is all about it. The question is, whether I shall put what I have now into Joe's new business. He says he is sure to double the amount in a few years."
"And I have no doubt at all that he thinks so. Joe is naturally sanguine, and apt to be taken with new enterprises just because they are new; but he is going into a business which he does not understand, with a partner of whom he knows little or nothing and about, whom I cannot find out that any one else knows any more. I confess, I have very great fears for his success. Besides, I have another reason. I look upon the business in itself as wrong, and especially dangerous to young men. You would not like to have your money go to help make Joe, or any one else, a drunkard?"
Mrs. Train winced a little. "I do not think there is any danger," said she. "Joe has always been steady."
"If there is no danger to himself, there is plenty to other people," said Letty.