"Do speak plain, Hannah. What is it you fear? Gertrude is only a child; and after this visit will probably never see Paul again."
"God grant it; for I tell you he will never make a kind husband; and I can see, if you can't, that he's doing his best to steal away her heart."
Edward laughed, but not heartily. "You're mistaken, Hannah," he urged. "He has no idea of marrying for years, I have heard him say so a hundred times. He means to be settled and make a fortune first; and then his ideas of a wife, are the very reverse of what Gerty is."
"Well, time will show which of us is right; and I pray earnestly my fears may prove false; but will you answer one question; supposing, I am right and that his hanging round after Gertrude, watching every step she takes, and being quite lost when she is out of sight, means that he wants her for a wife, have you never in all the years you've been together seen any thing you would disapprove in a brother-in-law?"
The young lawyer started at this plain question; but as she gazed searchingly in his eye, he answered:
"I never thought of him in that light. I know him to be a man who will succeed well in business. When he has made a few thousands, and Gertrude has four or five years more over her heads I don't know that I could offer any serious objection. Still men are so different in their intercourse with each other, from what they are with the other sex—I—"
"Yes, that is it," she exclaimed, interrupting him. "I'll venture to say I know more about Mr. Dudley, in some points, than you do, after all your intimacy."
"I've been with him several times to his home," murmured Edward as if speaking to himself.
"Well, how did he act there? Was he a good son and a kind brother? I heard him tell Gerty he had four sisters."
The young man felt his face flush as he recollected certain home scenes, which at the time had roused his indignation. He recalled also remarks Paul had made about his mother; and realized that after all, Hannah's opinion might be more correct than his own.