"I should say not," I declared with a warmth that
caused Sister Theresa to sweep me warily with those
wonderful gray eyes. "But first he expects to find this
fortune and endow Miss Devereux with it. That is a
part of the scheme. And my own interest in the estate
must be eliminated before he can bring that condition
about. But, Sister Theresa, I am not so easily got rid
of as Arthur Pickering imagines. My staying qualities,
which were always weak in the eyes of my family, have
been braced up a trifle."
"Yes." I thought pleasure and hope were expressed
in the monosyllable, and my heart warmed to her.
"Sister Theresa, you and I are understanding each
other much better than I imagined we should,"-and
we both laughed, feeling a real sympathy growing between
us.
"Yes; I believe we are,"-and the smile lighted her
face again.
"So I can tell you two things. The first is that Arthur
Pickering will never find my grandfather's lost
fortune, assuming that any exists. The second is that
in no event will he marry your niece."
"You speak with a good deal of confidence," she said,
and laughed a low murmuring laugh. I thought there
was relief in it. "But I didn't suppose Marian's affairs
interested you."
"They don't, Sister Theresa. Her affairs are not of
the slightest importance,-but she is!"
There was frank inquiry in her eyes now.
"But you don't know her,-you have missed your
opportunity."
"To be sure, I don't know her; but I know Olivia
Gladys Armstrong. She's a particular friend of mine,
-we have chased rabbits together, and she told me a
great deal. I have formed a very good opinion of Miss
Devereux in that way. Oh, that note you wrote about
Olivia's intrusions beyond the wall! I should thank
you for it,-but I really didn't mind."
"A note? I never wrote you a note until to-day!"
"Well, some one did!" I said; then she smiled.
"Oh, that must have been Marian. She was always
Olivia's loyal friend!"
"I should say so!"
Sister Theresa laughed merrily.
"But you shouldn't have known Olivia,-it is unpardonable!
If she played tricks upon you, you should not
have taken advantage of them to make her acquaintance.
That wasn't fair to me!"
"I suppose not! But I protest against this deportation.
The landscape hereabouts is only so much sky,
snow and lumber without her."
"We miss her, too," replied Sister Theresa. "We have
less to do!"
"And still I protest!" I declared, rising. "Sister
Theresa, I thank you with all my heart for what you
have said to me,-for the disposition to say it! And
this debt to the estate is something, I promise you, that
shall not trouble you."
"Then there's a truce between us! We are not enemies
at all now, are we?"