But when Uncle St--when uncle says there's more than
enough money for us all, and is only too anxious for you
to let him do things for you--why, he's your own brother!
It's as if I should refuse to allow Alfred to do things
for me."
"That you never did," interposed the young man, gayly.
"I'll say that for you, Jule."
"And never will," she assured him, with cheerful decision.
"But no--mamma--can't you see what we mean? We have done
what you wanted us to do. You sent us both to much
better schools than you could afford, from the time
we were of no age at all--and when uncle's money came
you sent us to Cheltenham. We did you no discredit.
We worked very well; we behaved ourselves properly.
We came back to you at last with fair reason to suppose
that you would be--I won't say proud, but at least well
satisfied with us--and then it turned out that you didn't
like us at all."
"I never said anything of the sort," the mother declared,
with a touch of animation.
"Oh no--you never said it," Julia admitted, "but what else
can we think you mean? Our uncle sends for us to go
abroad with him, and you busy yourself getting me ready,
and having new frocks made and all that--and I never hear
a suggestion that you don't want me to go----"
"But I did want you to go," Mrs. Dabney affirmed.
"Well, then, when I come back--when we come back,
and tell you what splendid and generous plans uncle has
made for us, and how he has taken a beautiful furnished
house and made it our home, and so on,--why, you won't
even come and look at the house!"
"But I don't want to see it," the mother retorted; obstinately.
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