You see--" "But if it's any kind at all, I'm against it," said Kate, quickly.
"We're not going to support Aunt Matilda that way." This settled the matter.

To be sure, Kate had no vote in the Board; but this was a subject in which she had what might be considered to be a controlling interest, and the bond project was dropped.
Various schemes were now proposed, but there were objections to all of them.

Everyone was agreed that it was very unfortunate that this emergency should have arisen just at this time, because as soon as the company got into good working order, and the creek had been up a few times it was probable that Aunt Matilda would really have more money than she would absolutely need.
"You ought to look out, Harry and Kate," said Harvey Davis, "that all the darkies she knows don't come and settle down on her and live off her.

She's a great old woman for having people around her, even now." "Well," said Kate, "she has a right to have company if she wants to, and can afford it." "Yes," said Tom Selden; "but having company's very different from having a lot of good-for-nothing darkies eating her out of house and home." "She won't have anything of that sort," said Harry.

"I'll see that her money's spent right." "But if it's her money," said Harvey, "she can spend it as she chooses." A discussion here followed as to the kind of influence that ought to be brought to bear upon Aunt Matilda to induce her to make a judicious use of her income; but Harry soon interrupted the arguments, with the remark that they had better not bother themselves about what Aunt Matilda should do with her money when she got it, until they had found out some way of preventing her from starving to death while she was waiting for it.
This was evidently good common sense, but it put a damper on the spirits of the Board.
There was nothing new to be said on the main question, and it was now growing toward supper-time; so the meeting adjourned.
On their way home, Harry said to Kate, "Has Aunt Matilda anything to eat at all ?" "Oh yes; she has enough for her supper to-night, and for breakfast, too, if nobody comes to see her.