Page:Barbour--Peggy in the rain.djvu/92

 "Do what, Gordon?"

"Let's offer her the ten thousand and see what happens. I'll bet she'd jump at It. Cash in hand looks so different from a prospective income. What do you say?"

"Perfectly absurd, Gordon! Why, it might be the ruin of the child? So much money all at once"

"Oh, I say, Mums! Ten thousand!"

"Ten thousand would be a great deal of money to her, Gordon. I wanted to help the girl. Giving her a sum of money outright might accomplish a directly opposite result, my dear. Of course, if one could be certain that she is—well, sensible and provident"

"That wouldn't be hard to learn," said Gordon. "You might commission me to look the young lady up—and over."

"I suppose, however, that since Thomas Milburn died—and even while he was alive—they never had much money. Besides, persons in poor circumstances have absolutely no idea, as a rule, how to use their money. They do spend it so—so wastefully!"

"I know." Gordon nodded sympathetically.