"No, John, there will not be any better, so we won't indulge in make believes. Carry and James were quite sure this way of living wasn't good for me. They wanted me to buy a house and make it over to them and they would care for me the rest of my life. I've lived with Carry, paid her good board, too, so I knew what that would be. I couldn't live quite alone, you see--I always wanted some one round that I could see if I wanted to. Old people do get queer. So when I had to foreclose here I made you this offer. You're the only one of them all who has not asked me outright for money, and I honor you for it. Your mortgage here is twenty-three hundred."