I trust you will now abandon your wild scheme of teaching and come home." But home was less home than ever to Isobel now, and she remained another six months at school, when she received an important letter from her uncle.
"My Dear Isobel: When you first wrote to me and told me that what you were most looking forward to was to make a home for your brother, I own that it was a blow to me, for I had long had plans of my own about you; however, I thought your desire to help your brother was so natural, and would give you such happiness in carrying it into effect, that I at once fell in with it and put aside my own plan.

But the case is altered now, and I can see no reason why I cannot have my own way.

When I was in England I made up my mind that unless I married, which was a most improbable contingency, I would, when you were old enough, have you out to keep house for me.

I foresaw, even then, that your brother might prove an obstacle to this plan.

Even in the short time I was with you it was easy enough to see that the charge of him would fall on your shoulders, and that it would be a labor of love to you.
"If he lived, then, I felt you would not leave him, and that you would be right in not doing so, but even then it seemed likely to me that he would not grow up to manhood.