"None too much, considering what I have stood from her capricious temper and eccentric ways," returned the girl. "Your own temper is none too even," said Pauline, quietly; "I'd rather you wouldn't speak ill of my aunt, if you please." What might have been a passage at arms was averted by the appearance of a footman with a cablegram. "It's from Carr!" exclaimed Pauline, as she tore it open, and read: Awful news just received. Shall I come home or will you come here? Let Haviland attend all business. Love and sympathy. Carrington Loria. "He's in Cairo," commented Haviland, looking at the paper; "that's lucky. If he had been off up the Nile on one of his excavating tours, we mightn't have had communication for weeks. Well, he practically retains me as business manager, at least for the present. And Lord knows there's a lot to be done!" "I don't understand, Gray, why you look upon Carr as more in authority than I am," said Pauline, almost petulantly; "I am an equal heir, and, too, I am here, and Carr is the other side of the world." "That's so, Polly. I don't know why, myself. I suppose because he is the man of the family." "That doesn't make any difference. I think from now on, Gray, it will be proper for you to consider me the head of the house as far as business matters are concerned. You can pay Carr his half of the residuary in whatever form he wants it. I shall keep the place, at least for the present." "Won't Mr. Loria come back to America?" asked Hardy. "I scarcely think so," replied Pauline. "There's really no use of his doing so, unless he chooses. And I'm pretty sure he won't choose, as he's so wrapped up in his work over there, that he'd hate to leave unless necessary." "But won't he feel a necessity to help investigate the murder?" urged Hardy. "I don't know," and Pauline looked thoughtful. "You see what he says; when he asks if he shall come home, he means do I want him to. If I don't request it, I'm fairly sure he won't come. Of course, when he learns all the details, he will be as anxious as we that the murderer should be found. But if I know Carr, he will far rather pay for the most expensive detective service than come over himself. And, too, what could he do, more than we can? We shall, of course, use every effort and every means to solve the mysteries of the case, and he could advise us no better than the lawyers already in our counsel." "That's all true," said Haviland; "and I think Loria means that when he puts me in charge of it all. But after a week or so we'll get a letter from him, and he'll tell us what he intends to do." "I shall cable him," said Pauline, thoughtfully, "not to come over unless he wants to. Then he can do as he likes. But he needn't come for my benefit. The property must be divided and all that, but we can settle any uncertainties by mail or cable. And, I think I shall go on the trip as we had planned it."