“Very rich? Dad, what do you mean?”
“Mr. Durham told me all last night,” went on Dr. Maynard, now feeling more secure of his ground, “after you had gone to bed. Sylvia, Mr. Durham is a millionaire!”
“A millionaire!” echoed Sylvia, with a little gasp. “Oh, Dad! And Jack—”
“Jack is to have everything his father can give him,” continued Maynard. “Yes, everything! His father is making him the head of his business in the States; and his marriage settlement—well!—my dear child!—it is amazing!—most generous and magnificent! He told me he had determined to do nothing for his son till he had ‘proved his mettle’—but now!—now, since the boy went to fight of his own free will and choice, and nearly sacrificed his life in the war, he has no hesitation in making him the sharer of all his wealth. And you—you”—his voice trembled, and he put out his arms and drew her closely to him—“you will be a rich woman, my child!—safe from all care and harm,—thank God for that!—you will have all the comfort and charm of life such as you should have—and when I am gone—”
“Oh, but you’re not going, Dad!” she exclaimed, half laughing and crying together. “If I am rich, really rich, the first thing to be done is to publish your great book!—yes, Dad!—the very first thing! That Oxford publisher will take it all right now!”
Her affectionate delight in this idea was irresistible, and as she clung tenderly round her father’s neck and kissed him again and yet again she might have been a mere child in the simplicity of her joy at the thought of being able to launch the ponderous “Deterioration of Language” on an indifferent world.
“I must go and tell Mr. Craig,” she said, then—“I must let him know that there will be no difficulty, and no expense spared.” Here she clapped her hands. “No expense spared! Just think of it!”
Dr. Maynard smiled.
“My dear, my dear!” he remonstrated. “You must ask Jack—”
“Jack will do anything I tell him!” she declared. “And he’ll be proud—ever so proud, to help publish your great, great book! Of course he’ll be proud! Who wouldn’t be!”