Merrick sat down again.
"Won't you take a chair?" she said, stiffly.
"I believe I will," returned Uncle John. "I just came to make a call,
you know."
"Louise has told me of you," said the lady. "It was very unfortunate
that your sister's death deprived you of a home. An absurd thing,
altogether, that fiasco of Jane Merrick's."
"True," he agreed.
"But I might have expected it, knowing the woman's character as I
did."
Uncle John wondered what Jane's character had to do with the finding
of Tom Bradley's last will; but he said nothing.
"Where are you living?" asked Louise.
"Not anywhere, exactly," he answered, "although Patsy has offered me
a home and I've been sleeping on a sofa in her living-room, the past
week."
"I advise you to stay with the Doyles," said Mrs. Merrick, quickly.
"We haven't even a sofa to offer you here, our flat is so small;
otherwise we would be glad to be of some help to you. Have you found
work?"
"I haven't tried to, yet, ma'am."
"It will be hard to get, at your age, of course. But that is a matter
in which we cannot assist you."
"Oh, I'm not looking for help, ma'am."
She glanced at his worn clothing and soiled white necktie, and smiled.
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