“Why, that was the thing I could understand least of all. The young man is well enough, I suppose, but I thought you had looked to have Avis make more of herself, and do better for us. She is still young, and we don’t know what chances she may have. If she and the young man should keep on intimate, and set their hearts on it, I don’t know that I should oppose it much; but what object we can have in helping it on, I can’t, for the life of me, see. I have not said a word against it, because I saw that you were for it. But, if I had been governed by my own notions, I should have sooner discouraged than helped it on.” “I suspected so; and, for that reason, as well as others, I see I must tell you a secret, which the Elwoods themselves don’t know, and which I meant should never pass my lips; and, when I tell it to you, see that it never passes yours. That young man, Claud Elwood, whom you think so ordinary a match, is heir to a large property. A will is already executed making him so.” “Is that so, Gaut?” “Yes, I have known it for months. I made the discovery before I decided to move here.” “It is a wonder how you could keep it from me.” “Humph! It is a greater wonder how I came to tell you at all, and I fear I shall yet repent it; but things had come to a pass that seemed to make it necessary.” “But who is the man, and where, who is going to give the young man such a property?” “It is not for you to know. I have told you enough for all my purposes. And this brings me back to your first question, when I admitted that there was one thing which had not gone to my liking. There _was_, indeed, one thing that disturbed and vexed me; and that was the discovery I made, over there, to-day, that Elwood’s wife is an enemy to me. I contrived all ways to get speech with her, but she studiously avoided giving me a chance, nor was I able once even to catch her eye, that I might give her a friendly nod of recognition. I know she never wished me about, in former times, but I then attributed her coldness to the pride of the rich over the poor. But I now think it was because she hated me. I am satisfied she is an enemy, at heart; and will, for that reason, prove a secret and I fear dangerous opposer to a match which will connect me with her family, unless something is done to reconcile her.” “How can that be done?”