you little ----! No one knows anything about it but
myself!" exclaimed the commodore, betraying himself through astonishment
and indignation.

Without heeding the contradiction, except by a sly smile, Jacquelina
went calmly on:

"And I know that you wish to make me a stalking-horse, to convey the
estate to Grimshaw, only because you cannot give it to him in any other
way but through his wife."

"What do you mean, you little diabolical ----! It is my own--why can I
not give it to whom I please, I should like to know?"

"You can give it to any one in the world, uncle, except Dr. Grimshaw, or
to one who bears the same relationship to you that he does; for to such
a one you may not legally bequeath your landed estate, or--"

"You shocking, impudent little vixen! How dare you talk so?"

"Hear me out, uncle. I say, knowing such to be the case, I also know my
own importance as a 'stalking-horse,' or sumpter-mule, or something of
the sort, to bear upon my own shoulders the burden of this estate, which
you wish to give by me to Dr. Grimshaw. Therefore, I shall not give
myself away for nothing. I intend to sell myself for a price! Nothing on
earth would induce me to consent to marry Dr. Grimshaw, were it not to
secure peace and comfort to my mother's latter days. Your threat of
turning me out of doors would not compel me into such a marriage, for
well I know that you would not venture to put that threat into
execution. But I cannot bear to see my poor mother suffer so much as she
does while here, dependent upon your uncertain protection. You terrify
and distress her beyond her powers of endurance. You make the bread of
dependence very, very bitter to her, indeed! And well I know that she
will certainly die if she remains subjected to your powers of
tormenting. I speak plainly to you, uncle, having nothing to conceal;
to proceed, I assure you I will not meet your views in marrying Dr.
Grimshaw, unless it be to purchase for my poor mother a deliverance from
bondage, and an independence for life. Therefore, I demand that you
shall buy this place, 'Locust Hill,' which I hear can be bought for five
thousand dollars, and settle it upon my mother; in return for which I
will bestow my hand in marriage upon Dr. Grimshaw. And, mind, I do not
promise with it either love, or esteem, or service--only my hand in
civil marriage, and the estate it has the power of carrying with it! And
the documents that shall make my mother independent of