“I have visited her every year or two since I was a child and knew her very well, but I never had any idea she meant to do this. It will take some time to settle it up, but there’s as much as two hundred thousand dollars in sight—maybe fifty more. She was a dear old woman; I’m so ashamed of myself that I wasn’t kinder to her, but she was difficult to handle—hadn’t left home for years, though she used to write to me two or three times a year. So there! That’s why I’m running into the bank these days, to ask Mr. Harrington about investments.”
“If you take his advice,” said Farley emphatically, “you’ll never lose any of that money!”
“Then what’s to become of the farm?” asked Nan.
“Oh, I shall run it just the same. I’d rather lose that legacy than give it up. An unattached woman like me must have something to amuse herself with.”
“That’s a lot o’ money; a whole lot o’ money,” said Farley; “and I’m mighty glad you’ve got it.”
Nan saw a gleam in his eye and a covert smile playing about his lips. He chuckled softly.
“Two hundred; two hundred fifty; that’s a whole lot o’ money; and you don’t want to let any of these sharks around here get it away from you; they’ll be after you all right. But I guess you’ll know how to handle ’em,” he added with satisfaction.
When Fanny was ready to go he called for his car and he and Nan drove home with her.
That night, after the nurse had put him to bed, Nan heard an unusual sound from his room. She crossed the hall and stood in the doorway a moment. He was muttering to himself and chuckling.
“Picked up two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, just like findin’ it! Turned her out; got rid of her! Well, that’s a hell of a joke on you, Billy Copeland!”