"I can tell you nothing," he replied, his brows drawing together.
"I have learned typewriting, and I am excellent in spelling, and Miss Meader is teaching me stenography," she said, simply. "If--if the money should--should stop coming any time, I thought I would better know how to go about supporting myself."
"Ha!" He stared at her then with some emotion which sent a quick wave of color into his unhealthy cheek.
"Your getting ready to earn your livelihood?"
"You say you do not know anything about the source of my income. It may stop any time."
"Then wouldn't it be necessary for me to go to work?"
"You wouldn't want to take money from _me_, then?" he snapped.
"Why, I--I--You say you're not even my guardian. I've no reason to expect anything from you if the money stops coming. Isn't that so?"
"Independent--eh?" he said, with a brief chuckle.
"I hope to be able to get along when I have to."
"_If_ I have to, then," she said, nodding.
"Well! Maybe you're right. No knowing what might happen," he said, as though ruminating. "Say! Anybody ever talk to you about this money I have to spend on you?"
"No-o, sir. Only my chum and I talk about it," said Nancy, slowly.
"Yes, sir," replied Nancy, slowly. "And yet, it is more than curiosity. Suppose my--mother was alive--or, my father----"
Mr. Gordon passed a big hand over his big face. He smoothed out something there--either a wry smile or a spasm of pain.
"Suppose, instead, you had a bad-tempered step-mother, or a drunken brute of an uncle, or a miser of a grandfather, or some other evilly-conditioned relative. Wouldn't you rather be as you are than to know such relatives?"
"Ha! you don't know how well off you are," grunted Mr. Gordon. "Well! I'm busy. What more do you want?"
"No--nothing, sir," said Nancy, disappointedly.
"Want some more money for your vacation? Those Bruce people must be very fond of you to keep you so long for nothing."
"There is money here for you if you want it," said the lawyer, carelessly. "You want nothing?"
"I--I'd like to see Miss Trigg again. She was kind to me--in her way."
Nancy explained. He reached into his pocket, selected some bills, and gave her more money than she had ever had at one time before.
"Go on back there to Malden and see your old teacher, if you like. Take the Bruce girl with you. Now, good-bye. I'm busy."