“He rented, with the privilege of purchasing. You see, he was not sure of making this his home until after he was stricken with his fatal disease, and then I discouraged him from buying for two reasons. One was because the rent he was paying was satisfactory, and the other was because I made up my mind that I would move into the house myself, should he die and his wife go away.”
“Back to her old home in Australia. Mackenzie told me she has never been satisfied since she left that far-off place of her nativity.”
“Then she will return there, now that her husband is dead?”
“I think it quite likely.”
“You have spoken only of his wife. Has he no children?”
“None by the present Mrs. Mackenzie, who is his second wife and comparatively a young woman. But he had a son living—the issue of his first marriage.”
“Where is this son?”
“I don’t know where he is at present. When last heard from he was in Paris and talked about coming here to visit his father soon. Indeed, Mackenzie, when he showed me the Paris letter, said he’d not be surprised if his boy would drop in on him almost any time.”
“He showed you the son’s letters?”