'Enough to be worth taking care of,' growled Mr. Falkirk in a tone which bespoke a mingling of feelings.
'Well, sir,I never was fond of that processbut I have submitted indifferently well, I hope.'
'Allow me to ask, Miss Hazel,what sort of care do you expect in the future?'
Hazel fairly looked at him and opened her eyes. 'Really, Mr.
Falkirk,' she said, 'you are very amazing!'
'You know, I must suppose, that your_guardian_has proved himself unfit to take care of your fortune, inasmuch as he has thrown away his own. And when fortune is gone, Miss Kennedy, the means of taking care of you are gone along with it. I warn you, though it may not be in time.'
Wych Hazel's hands took a great grip of each other. It was pretty hard to bear this to-day.
'For the last year and a half, Mr. Falkirk, the care of mein every respecthas been referred, and referred, and referred, to other judgment than your own. I used to think you were tired of me, that you had lost your wits Now, you think I have lost mine.'
'The judgment which I was obliged to consult, and which could not hurt you as long as I remained a consenting party, will have no restraint when my decisions are dispensed with. He can pitch all your thousands after his own, if he thinks proper.'
'Yes, you can do anything with an "if," ' said Hazel, trying to keep herself quiet.
'He will think it proper,' said Mr. Falkirk.