astounding bids; but, any way, nothing can be done till I am of age,
when the lease to Hodnet is out, except by Act of Parliament, which
is hardly worth while, considering—-"

"That you are near twenty. But surely you won't consent?"

"Well, I don't want to break all your hearts, Cherie's especially,
but why should all that space be nothing but a playground for us
Underwoods, instead of making work for the million?"

"And a horrid, nasty million it would be," retorted Anna. "You born
Yankee! Don't worry Aunt Cherry about profaning the Ewe, just to
spoil good calico with nasty yellow dust."

"I don't want to worry her, but there never were such groovy people
as you are! I shall think it over, and make up my mind by the time I
have the power."

"I wish you had to wait till five-and-twenty, so as to get more time
and sense."

Gerald laughed, and sauntered away. He was not Yankee, except that
he had been born at Boston. His father was English, his mother a
Hungarian singer, who had divorced and deserted his father, the
ne'er-do-weel second son of an old family. When Gerald was five
years old his father was killed, and he himself severely injured, in
a raid of the Indians far west, and he was brought home by an old
friend of the family. His eldest uncle's death made him heir to the
estate, but his life was a very frail one till his thirteenth year,
when he seemed to have outgrown the shock to spine and nerves.