I don't mind so
much Caroline's bein' down on me. She'll know better some day, I hope;
and if she don't--well, I'm only a side-issue in her life, anyhow, hove
in by accident, like the section of dog collar in the sassage. But I do
hope her learnin' by experience won't come too late to save her from...
what she'll be awful sorry for by and by."
"It must," declared the lawyer, with decision. "You must see to it,
Captain Warren. You are her guardian. She is absolutely under your
charge. She can do nothing of importance unless you consent."
"Yup. That's so--for one more year; just one, remember! Then she'll
be of age, and I can't say 'Boo!' And her share of 'Bije's money'll
be hers, too. And don't you believe that that fact has slipped Sister
Dunn's memory. I ain't on deck to head her off now; if she puts Malcolm
up to gettin' Caroline to give her word, and Caroline gives it--well,
I know my niece. She's honorable, and she'll stick to her promise if it
runs her on the rocks. And Her Majesty Dunn knows that, too. Therefore,
the cat bein' away, she cal'lates now's the time to make sure of the
cheese."
"But the cat can come back. The song says it did, you know."
"Um-hm. And got another kick, I shouldn't wonder. However, my claws'll
stay sharp for a year or thereabouts, and, if it comes to a shindy,
there'll be some tall scratchin' afore I climb a tree.
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