human
But Nannie, Elizabeth said, and paused; the dining-room door had opened, and Robert Ferguson was standing on the threshold of Mrs. Maitland's room looking in at the two girls. The astonishment he had felt in his talk with his niece had deepened into perplexity.
gpt
I guess I'll thresh this thing out now,
human
Nannie, he said, kindly,--he never barked at Nannie;
gpt
He had come in, and found a dusty wooden chair.
human
Go ahead with your sorting things out. You can answer my question in a minute; it's about that certificate your mother gave Blair.
gpt
Can there be anything wrong? he asked himself in consternation.
human
You see, Nannie, he explained, gently,
gpt
I happen to know that your mother meant it for David Richie, not Blair.
human
If she did, said Nannie,
gpt
human
When did she change her mind?
gpt
I don't know. She just told me to bring the check to her to sign, that--that last morning.
human
Was she perfectly clear mentally?
gpt
Yes. Yes. Of course she was! Perfectly clear.
human
Did she say why she had changed her mind?
gpt
No, Nannie said, and suddenly fright and anger together made her fluent;
human
Oh, Uncle, she said,
gpt
Mamma wanted Blair to have the money; it's his! No one can take it from him!
human
Nobody wants to, Nannie, if it is his honestly,
gpt
Nannie dear, tell us the truth, Elizabeth implored her;
human
Uncle won't be hard on Blair, if--if he has done wrong. I know he won't.
gpt
Wrong? said Nannie;
human
Blair done wrong? She pushed Elizabeth's arms away;
gpt
Blair has never done wrong in his life! She stood there, with her back against the bureau, and dared them.
human
I won't have you suspect my brother! Elizabeth! How can you let Mr. Ferguson suspect Blair?
gpt
Nannie, said Robert Ferguson,
human
No.
gpt
Were you alone with her?
human
Answer me, Nannie.
gpt
Nannie, he said, quietly,
human
Blair signed it; Blair wrote his mother's name.
gpt
No! No! No! He did not! He did not. There was something in her voice--a sort of relief, a sort of triumph, even, that the other two could not understand, but which made them know that she was speaking the truth.
human
He did not, Nannie said, in a whisper;
gpt
Did _what_? Robert Ferguson gasped;
human
Mamma wanted him to have the money. The day before she died she told me she was going to give him a present. That day, that last day, she told me to get the check. And she wrote his name on it. No one asked her to. Not Blair. Not I. I never thought of such a thing! I didn't even know there was a check. She wanted to do it. She wrote his name. And then--she got weak; she couldn't go on. She couldn't sign it. So I signed it for her...later. It was not wrong. It was right. It carried out her wish. I am glad I did it.
gpt
It was right to do it. Mamma wanted to give the money to Blair. But she couldn't write her name. So I wrote it for her. It was right to do it.
human
Nannie, her old friend said, in despair,
gpt
You can call it anything you want to, she said, passionately.