Henry C. Rowland

“ David Archibald Wishart—so named from a thrifty old bachelor uncle, who was expected to make him his heir, but did not—was a young man whose dual object in life was wealth and respectability. The latter quality he was quite content to maintain as it already stood, but the limit to his ambition for the former could be compassed only by the bright blue sky.
David was the eldest son of old Jeremiah's brother, who had followed the example of his senior in emigrating to America some few years later. ”

“ He represents what we might call a dynasty of power based on wealth. He is like a king, and his heir represents a financial crown prince. Like all other kings, he wishes to preserve his dynasty intact, and to assure himself of its succession. Consequently he demands the right of selecting what he feels shall prove a proper consort for his heir. ”

“ Now, I am sick of the business, and wish to have done. If Ailsa Graeme will marry ye, I will make the two of ye my joint heirs. So what do ye say?”
David cleared his throat. “H'm!” said he, and buttoned his coat. “Does the young lady know of your plans, Uncle Jeremiah?”
“She does. But she does not know which of my nephews I had in mind—or that there was more than one, for that matter. I may have mentioned the name 'Archie,' but as you have yourself an Archibald in your name, that does not matter.”
“And what did she think of the arrangement, if I may ask?”
“She is a sensible girl. ”

“ David's jaw dropped, and he stared at his uncle in startled dismay. The young man found himself utterly at a loss for what to say. Perhaps it was fortunate for him that he did, as both he and his father had often lamented the puzzling fact that any words of theirs were invariably wont to irritate Jeremiah.
“Ye see,” continued the old man, “I was minded to make Archie my heir, not wishin' to break up the fortun', and because I never really disliked the lad, for all his folly. ”

“ David was not an imaginative man, and had formed no mental image of his possible future bride, beyond the vague idea that she would probably coincide with her abode in being plain and dreary and of middle-class respectability. ”

“ You see, he is long past the age of understanding the emotions of younger people, and his whole life has been spent and his mind directed to but one single object—the acquiring of an enormous fortune. ”

“ Now that he is nearing his end, he cannot bear to think of this fortune being shattered and dissipated.”
“That is easy to understand,” said Ailsa, whose natural clear-headedness was returned under David's Bible-class manner. “But what I cannot understand is why he should ever have selected a simple Scotch country girl like me to—to——” She paused, blushing furiously.
“To be one of his cobeneticiaries? asked David smoothly. “That also is not difficult when we confine ourselves to Uncle Jeremiah's viewpoint. A multimilliomaire is in some respects like royalty. ”

“ A fine, temperate man, are ye not? Y'are tall and broad, and beef to the heel. Never smoke, nor drink, nor—nor anny of those things. I know your kind. Now, tell me, have ye never thought of marryin', David, me man?
“I hope some day to marry and perpetuate our good old Highland stock, Uncle Jeremiah; but up to this time I have not felt that I could afford it.”
“I see, 'Tis an expensive luxury in these days, the rearin' of young Wisharts. Your Cousin Archie did not feel he could afford to tackle it for twenty million dollars.” ”

“ Besides that, he needs it, havin' gone through the scant savin's of his miserly father.”
“A most excellent reason for not leaving him your fortune, I should have thought, Uncle Jeremiah.”
“Oh, should ye, now?” sneered the old man. “Now, I advise ye to keep your thoughts to yourself, David, or I might be tempted to do it yet. For all his faults and foolishness, Archie is at least a man. ”

“ He abominates the usual type of American woman, whom he considers selfish, superficial, undomestic, and extravagant—and I am not sure but that I agree with him. I have certainly never seen one whom I would care to marry. ”