"Am I really such a fright?"
Carroll thought he had never seen her so beautiful. Her eyelids
were quivering over their fires as if they had been brushed by the
passing wing of a strong passion.
"What are you thinking of?" said Carroll, as they drove on.
She was thinking that the stranger had looked at her admiringly,
and that his eyes were blue. But she looked quietly into her
lover's face, and said, sweetly, "Nothing, I fear, that would
interest you!"
CHAPTER IX
The news of the assignment of Dr. West's property to Mrs.
Saltonstall was followed by the still more astonishing discovery
that the Doctor's will further bequeathed to her his entire
property, after payment of his debts and liabilities. It was given
in recognition of her talents and business integrity during their
late association, and as an evidence of the confidence and "undying
affection" of the testator. Nevertheless, after the first
surprise, the fact was accepted by the community as both natural
and proper under that singular instinct of humanity which
acquiesces without scruple in the union of two large fortunes, but
sharply questions the conjunction of poverty and affluence, and
looks only for interested motives where there is disparity of
wealth. Had Mrs. Saltonstall been a poor widow instead of a rich
one; had she been the Doctor's housekeeper instead of his business
friend, the bequest would have been strongly criticised--if not
legally tested.
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