“What did she say?”
“She said no, and threatened to tell you, and was pretty mad, but I’ve done my duty, and according to the terms of the will, I am entitled to eighty thousand dollars. Isn’t that so?”
If he had not been Rex, Tom felt that he should have hated him for this sudden manifestation of greed, but he was Rex, and something in his eyes gave the lie to his words, as he went on rapidly:
“As soon as I am able I shall have the matter attended to by some competent lawyer—not you, who might demur—but some one who will make things straight and see that I rightfully get my eighty thousand, which will be mine to do with as I please, won’t it?”
“Yes,” Tom said, a glimmering of the truth beginning to dawn upon him, making him ashamed that for a moment he had distrusted Rex, who continued:
“Then if I please to give the most of it to Rena, she can’t help herself, can she?”
“Rex,” Tom exclaimed. “You must not do this. Rena will not let you, neither will I.”
“I don’t see how you can help it,” Rex replied. “It will be her wedding-present, and keep her from that miserable little flat you talk of. You and Rena in a flat! No, sir! You are to have a handsome suburban villa, with grounds and garden, where I can visit you occasionally. I hate flats, and climbing stairs, and so will Rena. I thought it out and talked with Uncle Colin before I spoke to Rena, and you are to come here whenever you like and Rena is to be mistress, just as Sandy meant her to be. It is all fixed, and you needn’t kick. I’ve tried my experiment, and it worked beautifully. I was in earnest, too, I am sure I love the girl, if, as Uncle Colin says, love consists in a kind of all-over feeling when you touch her hand or look at her, and if it were not for you I’d win her, too. As it is, I give her up, but I’ll have my revenge in my own way. What have you to say about it?”
Tom had a good deal to say, but nothing moved Rex, who insisted that he could and should do what he liked with his own, when it was his, and as he was getting very tired, Tom gave up the contest and went to see Rena, whom he found tear-stained and indignant, nearly as much with him as with Rex.
Mr. Travers had proposed, she said, and Tom knew he was going to and had let him, and if Irene were not coming she’d go home that day, and she didn’t care, so there!