g into
your affairs a little, Miss Grey--don't be angry; we are all fond of you
in this house, and you don't seem to have any one in particular to look
after your interests."

"It was very kind and good of you. I have not many friends, Mr. Money;
but I am afraid the word 'interests' is rather too large for any affairs
of mine. Have I any interests? Mary Blanchet understands all my affairs
much better than I do."

"Yes, they may be called interests, I think. You know that anybody who
likes can find out everything about people's wills, and all that. Do you
know anything about your father's will?"

"No," Minola said, with a start, and feeling the tears coming to her
eyes. "I don't, Mr. Money. At least, not much. I know that he left me
some money--so much every year; not much--it would not be much for
Lucy--but enough for me and Mary Blanchet. Mary Blanchet manages it for
me, and makes it go twice as far as I could. We never spend it all--I
mean, we haven't spent it all this year. I should never be able to
manage or to get on at all only for her."

Minola spoke with eagerness now, for she was afraid that she was about
to receive some of the advice which worldly people call wise, and to be
admonished of the improvidence of sharing her little purse with Mary
Blanchet.

"And, indeed, I ought to do something for her--something particular,"
she hastened to add, for she was seized with a sudden fear that Mr.
Money might have heard somewhere of her resolve to have Mr. Blanchet's
poems printed at her own expense, and might proceed to remonstrate with
her.

Mr. Money smiled, seeing completely through her, and only thinking to
himself that she was a remarkably good girl, and that he much wished he
had a son to marry her.

"Do you know what I was thinking of?" he asked bluntly.

"I am sure you were thinking about me, for you laughed--at my ignorance
of business ways, I suppose?"

"Not at all; I was thinking that I should like to have a son, and that I
should like you to marry him."

Minola laughed and colored, but took his words as they were meant, in
all good humor and kindness.

"If you had a son, Mr. Money, I am sure I would marry him if you asked
me, and he----"

"Thank you. Well, I am only sorry I can't take you at your word. But
that wasn't exactly what I brought you here to tell you. What I want to
tell you is this. You are likely to have a good deal of property of one
kind and another, Miss Grey. Your father,