Vera rose. “If there is nothing more,” she said, “I will go and get the things ready for this evening. Destroy the old will. Sign the new will.” she repeated. She turned suddenly to Vance, her brow drawn in consideration. “I suppose by this new will,” she asked, “the girl gets nothing?” “Not at all!” exclaimed Gaylor emphatically. “We don’t want her to fight the will. She gets a million.”
“A million dollars?” demanded Vera. For an instant, as though trying to grasp the possibilities of such a sum, she stood staring ahead of her. With doubt in her eyes, and shaking her head, she turned to Vance.
“How can one woman spend a million dollars?” she protested.
“Well, you see, we don’t intend to starve her,” exclaimed Gaylor eagerly, “and at the same time the Institute will be benefiting all humanity. Doing good to—”
Vera interrupted him with a sharp, peremptory movement of the hand.
“We won’t go into that, please,” she begged.
The Judge inclined his head. “I only meant to point out,” he said stiffly, “that you are giving Mr. Hallowell the best advice, and doing great good.”
For a moment the girl looked at him steadily. On her lips was a faint smile of disdain, but whether for him or for herself, the Judge could not determine.
“I don’t know that,” the girl said finally. “I don’t ask.” She turned to Rainey. “Have you that photograph?” He gave her a photograph and after, for an instant, studying it in silence, she returned it to him.
“It will be quite easy,” she said to Vance. She walked to the door, and instinctively the two men, who were seated, rose.