“And he has left all his money to her daughter,” said Everet, touching the package of certificates that lay on the table.
“It would have been more to the purpose if he had given the family some of it while they were suffering the stings of poverty,” Colonel Mapleson remarked, his attention still riveted upon the picture.
“Did you know the daughter?” Everet inquired.
“Yes; I had some acquaintance with her.”
“Were they so very poor?”
“Well, they had a pretty hard time of it, I reckon, for a while; but I did not realize it at the time, for I was very young, only visited Uncle Jabez during my vacation; you know he sent me to Baltimore to school. Uncle Jabez gave them a cottage rent free, and gave them something besides to help eke out a small annuity that Mrs. Dale had, and that was all they had to live upon until they opened a small private school. After I came into possession of the estate I allowed them to remain in the cottage, the same as before, although they would not accept from me the money that they had received from Uncle Jabez; they were very proud.”
“Then that cottage belongs to you?” Everet remarked.
“Yes.”
“Has it ever been occupied since the Dales left it?”
“No.”