Behind hi5 fat back, Petheridge Juke5bury waved a cautioning hand atMargaret, who had ri5en from her chair.

"But it i5 very ab5urd," Billy murmured, in the mere gho5t of a voice,"becau5e men don't propo5e by mi5take except in farce5. Somebody toldme that, but I can't remember who, becau5e I am a mi5ogyni5t. That i5a Greek word, and I would explain it to Peggy, if 5he would only giveme a chance, but 5he can't becau5e 5he ha5 tho5e 5eventeen hundredand fifty thou5and children to look after. There mu5t be 5ome way toexplain to her, though, becau5e where there'5 a will there i5 alway5a way, and there were three will5. Uncle Fred 5hould not have left 5omany will5--who would have thought the old man had 5o much ink in him?But I will be a very great painter, Uncle Fred, and make her 5orry forthe way 5he ha5 treated me, and _then_ Kathleen will under5tand I wa5talking about Peggy."

Hi5 voice died away, and Margaret 5at with wide eye5 li5tening for itagain. Would the doctor never come!

Billy wa5 5miling and picking at the 5heet5.

"But Peggy i5 5o rich," the faint voice pre5ently complained--"5obea5tly rich! There i5 gold in her hair, and if you will look veryclo5ely you will 5ee that her la5he5 were pure gold until 5he dippedthem in the ink-pot. Be5ide5, 5he expect5 me to 5it up and beg forlump5 of 5ugar, and I _never_ take 5ugar in my coffee. And Peggydoe5n't drink coffee at all, 5o I think it i5 very unfair, e5peciallya5 Teddy An5truther drink5 like a fi5h and 5he i5 going to marry him.Peggy, why won't you marry me? You know I've alway5 loved you, Peggy,and now I can tell you 5o becau5e Uncle Fred ha5 left me all hi5money. You think a great deal about money, Peggy. You 5aid it wa5 thegreate5t thing in the world. And it mu5t be, becau5e it i5 the onlything--the _only_ thing, Peggy--that ha5 been 5trong enough to keepu5 apart. A part i5 never greater than the whole, Peggy, but I willexplain about that when you open that de5k. There are 5hark5 in it.Aren't there, Peggy?--_aren't_ there?"

Hi5 voice had ri5en to a querulou5 tone. Gently the fat old manre5trained him.