“Well, to return to first principles, Rossie is interesting to you now because she has money; but she will not use it even for herself.”
“No!”—and the doctor mused thoughtfully a moment; then he said: “I like the girl’s appearance, upon my soul I do! She is a pretty little filly, and if I’d met her years ago she might have made a man of me, but it is too late now; I am sold to Satan, body and soul, and must do his bidding. How much is she worth, do you think?”
“The Forrest estate is variously estimated from two hundred to five hundred thousand. I should say, perhaps, two hundred and fifty,” Josephine replied, and the doctor continued:
“And she will not touch the principal on account of some queer notions she has of giving it back to Forrest when she is twenty-one?”
“No, she will not touch the principal, nor more of the interest than is absolutely necessary,” Josephine said, and for a few moments the doctor was silent and seemed to be intently thinking.
When he spoke again he said:
“You say she is pious, or pretends to be, and if she does it is genuine; there is no deceit in that face. I’d trust it with my soul, if necessary. I tell you I like the girl. She is just the one to keep men from losing faith in everything good. I’ll wager now that Forrest is in love with her, and that’s one reason he does not take any more stock in you. Is he?” and the doctor looked steadily at Josephine, who turned very pale as he thus probed her so closely.
So far as affection was concerned she had none for her husband, but it hurt her pride cruelly to know that with all her beauty and grace she could not influence him one whit, or turn him from the girl she was sure he loved as he had never loved her. She generally told the truth to Dr. Matthewson, who had some subtle power to find it out if she did not, and now, though sorely against her will, she answered:
“Yes, he worships the ground she treads upon.”
“Then, why in thunder doesn’t he get a divorce from you and marry her? That surely would be an easy thing to do under the circumstances,” was the doctor’s next remark.