“You mean——”
“It’s Overton’s. When he’s done it, he won’t get the credit of it. It’ll be finishing the work of Overton’s expedition, won’t it?”
“I—I suppose it will, in a way.”
Fanny laid down some teaspoons.
“You’ve got thirty-six dozen spoons and two soup-ladles. Yes, it’ll be finishing Overton’s work.” She looked up and met Diane’s eyes squarely. “Is that why you wanted him to go?”
Diane colored deeply, working hard at the knotted ribbon on another bundle.
“I hadn’t thought of it in that way, Fanny. I wanted Arthur Faunce to be something more than a—a second in the expedition. When a man is as great as Overton was, he overshadows everything.”
“I don’t see how you can feel that way when Mr. Faunce is so great himself. I don’t believe you really see it as it is, Di!”
“Oh, yes, I do! But then it wouldn’t do for me to say so much, would it?”
Fanny reflected.