selfish, she began to wish that her son would fancy
some girl with money, and marrying, settle down. If
that could come to pass, then she, Mrs. Guthrie, would
be content to live on by herself, in the house which
she had made so pretty, and where she had gathered
about her quite a pleasant circle of admiring and appreciative,
if rather dull, country friends.

But when she had said a word in that sense to Alick,
he had tried to turn the suggestion off as a joke. And
as she had persisted in talking about it, he had shown
annoyance, even anger. At last, one day, he had exclaimed,
"I'm too old to marry a girl, mother! Somehow -- I
don't know how it is -- I don't seem to care
very much for girls."

"There are plenty of widows you could marry," she
said quickly. "A widow is more likely to have money
than a girl." He had answered, "But you see I don't
care for money." And then she had observed, "I
don't see how you could marry without money, Alick."
And he had said quietly, "I quite agree. I don't think
I could." And it may be doubted if in his loyal heart
there had even followed the unspoken thought, "So
long as you are alive, mother."

Yes, Alick was a very good son, and Mrs. Guthrie
did not grudge him his curious friendship with Mrs.
Otway.

And then, just as she was saying this to herself, not
for the first time, she heard the sound of doors opening
and closing, and she saw, advancing towards her over
the bright green lawn, the woman of whom she had
just been thinking with condescending good-nature.

Mrs. Otway looked hot and a little tired -- not quite

[[156]]

p155 _ -chap- _ toc-1 _ p156w _ toc-2 _ +chap+ _ p157

v?