Weaker than a Woman — page 44: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

WEAKER THAN A WOMAN. 35 me to have the money, did she not? That one broad fact no one can dispute.” pene “IT believe honestly that she intended you to have it. I know she did. She talked to me for some time about the good it would do to you and your children.” “Then what can there be found to dispute? She intended to give me the money, and she did give it—what is it to any one?” cried Darcy Lonsdale. “The law deals heavily with cases like this. James Hardman will plead that he is heir-at-law, that he is the rightful heir of the late Elizabeth Hardman, that he had been brought up in expectation of receiving the money, and that you have taken an undue advantage of your posi- tion as her legal adviser and friend to induce her to leave it to you.” “But,” declared Mr. Lonsdale, “I did no such thing. I swear to you I never asked, influenced, or said one word to her about it. How dare any man say such a thing of me ?” “James Hardman has been brought up to believe that he would inherit twelve thousand pounds, and, finding six of it given elsewhere, he is very angry about it, and says some bitter things.’’ “But how is it possible that any one who knows me could believe that I have acted unfairly? How can my old friends and neighbors believe it? I have lived among them all my life—they ought to know me better. I should not believe such a scandal of any one of them’’—and tears of wounded pride and wounded affection stood in his eyes. “What are a man’s friends worth, Malcolm, if they be- lieve evil of him so easily ?” . “ Perhaps they do not all believe it,” said George Mal- colm. “Then why do they not say so? Why not say, ‘We have known you for years, and we believe in you?’ Why not say that instead of looking coldly on me. As I pass by they converse about me in whispers, and are startled when I meet them.”’ “James Hardman has talked a great deal among them,” said Mr. Malcolm, slowly. “He has said some hard things of you.” “But my old friends,” rejoined Darcy Lonsdale, ‘the people I have lived among so long, how can they believe such slander ?” | | ait “I am not much of acynic, but this I must say, that I (E(@) mn Eomichbooks