Mrs. ¬ÝVanderpool glanced at Mr. ¬ÝCresswell, smiling to herself.
Mrs. ¬ÝGrey broke in, beaming:
‚ÄúThat‚Äôs just it, dear Miss Smith‚ÅÝ‚Äîjust it. Your heart is good, but you need strong practical advice. You know we weak women are so impractical, as my poor Job so often said. Now, I‚Äôm going to arrange to endow this school with at least‚ÅÝ‚Äîat least a hundred and fifty thousand dollars. One condition is that my friend, Mr. ¬ÝCresswell here, and these other gentlemen, including sound Northern business men like Mr. ¬ÝEasterly, shall hold this money in trust, and expend it for your school as they think best.‚Äù
‚Äú Mr. ¬ÝCresswell would be their local representative?‚Äù asked Miss Smith slowly with white face.
‚ÄúWhy yes‚ÅÝ‚Äîyes, of course.‚Äù
There was a long, tense silence. Then the firm reply,
‚Äú Mrs. ¬ÝGrey, I thank you, but I cannot accept your offer.‚Äù
Sarah Smith‚Äôs voice was strong, the tremor had left her hands. She had expected something like this, of course; yet when it came‚ÅÝ‚Äîsomehow it failed to stun. She would not turn over the direction of the school, or the direction of the education of these people, to those who were most opposed to their education. Therefore, there was no need to hesitate; there was no need to think the thing over‚ÅÝ‚Äîshe had thought it over‚ÅÝ‚Äîand she looked into Mrs. ¬ÝGrey‚Äôs eyes and with gathering tears in her own said:
‚ÄúAgain, I thank you very much, Mrs. ¬ÝGrey.‚Äù
Mrs. ¬ÝGrey was a picture of the most emphatic surprise, and Mr. ¬ÝCresswell moved to the window. Mrs. ¬ÝGrey looked helplessly at her companions.