"I gave Prue a free hand, sir. It's an honest business transaction
enough--and the family name alone won't send us to college, you know,
sir."
Uncle Abimelech glared at us.
"This must be put an end to," he said. "This advertisement must not
appear again. I won't have it!"
"But I've signed a contract that it is to run for six months," I said
sturdily. "And I've others in view. You remember the Herb Cure you
recommended one spring and that it did me so much good! I'm
negotiating with the makers of that and--"
"The girl's mad!" said Uncle Abimelech. "Stark, staring mad!"
"Oh, no, I'm not, Uncle Abimelech. I'm merely a pretty good
businesswoman. You won't help Murray to go to college, so I must. This
is the only way I have, and I'm going to see it through."
After Uncle Abimelech had gone, still in a towering rage, Murray
remonstrated. But I reminded him of his promise and he had to succumb.
Next day Uncle Abimelech returned--a subdued and chastened Uncle
Abimelech.
"See here, Prue," he said sternly. "This thing must be stopped. I say
it _must_. I am not going to have the name of Melville dragged all
over the country in a patent medicine advertisement. You've played
your game and won it--take what comfort you can out of the confession:
If you will agree to cancel this notorious contract of yours I'll
settle it with the company--and I'll put Murray through college--and
you too if you want to go! Something will have to be done with you,
that's certain. Is this satisfactory?"
"Perfectly," I said promptly. "If you will add thereto your promise
that you will forget and forgive, Uncle Abimelech. There are to be no
hard feelings."
Uncle Abimelech shrugged his shoulders.
"In for a penny, in for a pound," he said. "Very well, Prue. We wipe
off all scores and begin afresh. But there must be no more such
doings. You've worked your little scheme through--trust a Foster for
that! But in future you've got to remember that in law you're a
Melville whatever you are in fact."