just
nothing in the world until Mr. Northwick comes home with that fortune he
proposes to make. In the meantime they have their chance of starving to
death, or living on charity. And I don't believe," said Putney, breaking
down with a laugh, "they've the slightest notion of doing either."

Matt stood appalled at the prospect which the brute terms brought before
him. He realized that after all there is no misery like that of want,
and that yonder poor girl had chosen something harder to bear than her
father's shame.

"Of course," he said, "they mustn't be allowed to suffer. We shall count
upon you to see that nothing of that kind happens. You can contrive
somehow not to let them know that they are destitute."

"Why," said Putney, putting his leg over the back of a chair into its
seat, for his greater ease in conversation, "I could, if I were a lawyer
in a novel. But what do you think I can do with two women like these,
who follow me up every inch of the way, and want to know just what I
mean by every step I take? You're acquainted with Miss Suzette, I
suppose?"

"Yes," said Matt, consciously.

"Well, do you suppose that such a girl as that, when she had made up her
mind to starve, wouldn't know what you were up to if you pretended to
have found a lot of money belonging to her under the cupboard?"

"The company must do something," said Matt, desperately. "They have no
claim on the property, none whatever!"

"Now you're shouting." Putney put a comfortable mass of tobacco in his
mouth, and began to work his jaws vigorously upon it.

"They mustn't take it--they won't take it!" cried Matt.

Putney laughed scornfully.

XIII.

Matt made his way home to his farm, by a tiresome series of circuitous
railroad connections across country. He told his mother of the new shape
the trouble of the Northwicks had taken, and asked her if she could not
go to see them, and find out some way to help them.

Louise wished to go instantly to see them. She cried out over the noble
action that Suzette wished to do; she knew it was all Suzette.

"Yes, it is noble," said Mrs. Hilary. "But I almost wish she wouldn't do
it."

"Why, mamma?"

"It complicates matters. They could have gone on living there very well
as they were; and the company doesn't need it; but now where will they
go? What will become of them?"

Louise had not thought of that, and she found it shocking.

"I suppose," Matt said, "that the company would let