He were hard
hit himself, ye see, an' that made it a gloomy house, an' no mistake."
"Do you mean after you moved here, to the farm?"
"Yes, deary."
"I hear Captain Wegg was very fond of Ethel's grandfather," continued
Louise, trying to find an opening to penetrate old Nora's reserve.
"They was good friends always," was the brief reply.
"Did they ever quarrel, Nora?"
"Never that I knows of."
"And what do you suppose became of their money?" asked the girl.
"I don't know, child. Air we gettin' near home?"
"We are quite near, now. I wish you would open your heart to me, and
tell me about that great trouble, Nora. I might be able to comfort you
in some way."
The blind woman shook her head.
"There's no comfort but in forgettin'," she said; "an' the way to forgit
ain't to talk about it."
The unsatisfactory result of this conversation did not discourage
Louise, although she was sorry to meet with no better success. Gradually
she was learning the inside history of the Weggs. When she discovered
what that "great trouble" had been she would secure an important clue in
the mystery, she was sure. Nora might some time be induced to speak more
freely, and it was possible she might get the desired information from
Old Hucks. She would try, anyway.
A dozen theories might be constructed to account for this "great
trouble.
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