first with amazement, then sulkily. She had
talked to him often certainly about John's money, but it had made
little impression on his dreamer's sense. And now her demand struck
him disagreeably.

He didn't want the worrit of other people's money, he said. Let them
as owned it keep it; filthy lucre was a snare to all as had to do with
it; and it would only bring a mischief to have it in the house.

After a few more of these objections, Bessie lost her temper. She
broke into a torrent of angry arguments and reproaches, mainly turning,
it seemed, upon a recent visit to the house of Isaac's eldest son. The
drunken ne'er-do-weel had given Bessie much to put up with. Oh
yes!--_she_ was to be plagued out of her life by Isaac's belongings,
and he wouldn't do a pin's worth for her. Just let him see next time,
that was all.

Isaac smoked vigorously through it all. But she was hammering on a
sore point.

"Oh, it's just like yer!" Bessie flung at him at last in desperation.
"You're allus the same--a mean-spirited feller, stannin' in your
children's way! 'Ow do _you_ know who old John's going to leave his
money to? 'Ow do _you_ know as he wouldn't leave it to _them_ poor
innercents"--she waved her hand tragically towards the children playing
in the road--"if we was just a bit nice and friendly with him now 'ee's
gettin' old? But you don't care, not you!--one 'ud think yer were made
o' money--an' that little un there not got the right use of his legs!"

She pointed, half crying, to the second boy, who had already shown
signs of hip disease.

Isaac still smoked, but he was troubled in his mind. A vague
presentiment held him, but the pressure brought to bear upon him was
strong.

"I tell yer the lock isn't a good 'un!" he said, suddenly removing his
pipe.

Bessie stopped instantly in the middle of another tirade. She was
leaning against the door, arms akimbo, eyes alternately wet and flaming.

"Then, if it isn't," she said, with a triumphant change of tone, "I'll
soon get Flack to see to it--it's nobbut a step. I'll run up after
supper."

Flack was the village carpenter.

"An' there's mother's old box as takes up the cupboard," continued
Isaac gruffly.

Bessie burst out laughing.

"Oh! yer old silly," she said. "As if they couldn't stand one top o'
the t'other. Now, do just go, Isaac--there's a lovey! 'Ee's waitin'
for yer. Whatever did make yer so contrairy? Of course I didn't mean
nothin' I sai