nths more. To that conclusion her
reflections led her, and left her to write cheques.

And after the six months--what then?

Having first completed her correspondence with the tradespeople, and
having next decided on her contributions to the Charities, this iron
matron took up her fan again, cooled herself, and met the question of
the future face to face.

Ovid was the central figure in the prospect.

If he lived devoted to his profession, and lived unmarried, there was
a last resource always left to Mrs. Gallilee. For years past, his
professional gains had added largely to the income which he had
inherited from his father. Unembarrassed by expensive tastes, he had
some thousands of pounds put by--for the simple reason that he was at a
loss what else to do with them. Thus far, her brother's generosity had
spared Mrs. Gallilee the hard necessity of making a confession to her
son. As things were now, she must submit to tell the humiliating truth;
and Ovid (with no wife to check _his_ liberal instincts) would do what
Ovid's uncle (with no wife living to check his liberal instincts) had
done already.

There was the prospect, if her son remained a bachelor. But her son
had resolved to marry Carmina. What would be the result if she was weak
enough to allow it?

There would be, not one result, but three results. Natural; Legal;
Pecuniary.

The natural result would be--children.

The legal result (if only one of those children lived) would be the loss
to Mrs. Gallilee and her daughters of the splendid fortune reserved for
them in the Will, if Carmina died without leaving offspring.

The pecuniary result would be (adding the husband's income to the
wife's) about eight thousand a year for the young married people.

And how much for a loan, applicable to the mother-in-law's creditors?
Judging Carmina by the standard of herself--by what other standard do we
really judge our fellow-creatures, no matter how clever we may be?--Mrs.
Gallilee decided that not one farthing would be left to help her to pay
debts, which were steadily increasing with every new concession that she
made to the claims of society. Young Mrs. Ovid Vere, at the head of a
household, would have the grand example of her other aunt before her
eyes. Although her place of residence might not be a palace, she would
be a poor creature indeed, if she failed to spend eight thousand a year,
in the effort to be worthy of the social position of Lady Northlake. Add