third to
us."

Her son made a simple calculation in his mind. Uncle George was a
bachelor, and probably would never marry; Sydney and Amelia were
childless. The Major's only grandchild appeared to remain the eventual
heir of the entire property, no matter if the Major did turn over
to Sydney a third of it now. And George had a fragmentary vision
of himself, in mourning, arriving to take possession of a historic
Florentine villa--he saw himself walking up a cypress-bordered path,
with ancient carven stone balustrades in the distance, and servants
in mourning livery greeting the new signore. "Well, I suppose it's
grandfather's own affair. He can do it or not, just as he likes. I don't
see why he'd mind much."

"He seemed rather confused and pained about it," Isabel said. "I think
they oughtn't to urge it. George says that the estate won't stand taking
out the third that Sydney wants, and that Sydney and Amelia are behaving
like a couple of pigs." She laughed, continuing, "Of course I don't know
whether they are or not: I never have understood any more about business
myself than a little pig would! But I'm on George's side, whether he's
right or wrong; I always was from the time we were children: and Sydney
and Amelia are hurt with me about it, I'm afraid. They've stopped
speaking to George entirely. Poor father Family rows at his time of
life."

George became thoughtful. If Sydney and Amelia were behaving like pigs,
things might not be so simple as at first they seemed to be. Uncle
Sydney and Aunt Amelia might live an awful long while, he thought; and
besides, people didn't always leave their fortunes to relatives. Sydney
might die first, leaving everything to his widow, and some curly-haired
Italian adventurer might get round her, over there in Florence; she
might be fool enough to marry again--or even adopt somebody!

He became more and more thoughtful, forgetting entirely a plan he had
formed for the continued teasing of his Aunt Fanny; and, an hour after
lunch, he strolled over to his grandfather's, intending to apply for
further information, as a party rightfully interested.

He did not carry out this intention, however. Going into the big house
by a side entrance, he was informed that the Major was upstairs in his
bedroom, that his sons Sydney and George were both with him, and that a
serious argument was in progress. "You kin stan' right in de middle dat
big, sta'y-way," said Old Sam, the ancient negro, who w