But in her own mind Mrs. Easterfield was not so very much comforted.  It was all well enough to talk about Olive and her uncle and the happiness and safety of the home he had given her, but that sort of thing could not last very long.  He was an elderly man and she was a girl.  In the natural course of events, she would probably be left alone while she was very young.  She would then be alone, for her father’s wife could never be a mother to her when he was at sea, and their home would never be a home for her when he was on shore.  What Olive wanted, in Mrs. Easterfield’s opinion, was a husband.  An uncle, such as Captain Asher, was very charming, but he was not enough.

During this pleasant afternoon, when Captain Asher was in town attending to some arrangements for the burial of Mr. Port, Miss Maria was sitting discreetly alone in her darkened chamber.  She had a great many things to think about, and if she had allowed her conscience full freedom of action, there would have been much more upon her mind.  She might have been troubled by the recollection that since her father’s very determined treatment of her when she had endeavored to fix herself upon the affections of Captain Asher, she had so conducted herself toward her venerable parent that she had actually nagged the life out of him; and that had she been the dutiful daughter she ought to have been he might have been living yet.  But thoughts of this nature were not common to Maria Port.  She had made herself sure that the will was all right, and he was very old.  There was a time for all things, and Maria was now about to begin life for herself.  To her plans for this new life she now gave almost her sole attention.

She had one great object in view which overshadowed everything else, and this was to marry Captain Asher.  This she could have done before, she firmly believed, had it not been for her old father and that horrid girl, the captain’s niece.  As for the elderly man who kept the toll-gate she did not mind him.  If not interfered with, she was sure she could make him marry her, and then the great ambition of her life would be satisfied.

Unpretentious as was her establishment in town, she did not care to spend the money necessary to keep it up, and although she was often an unkind woman, she was not cruel enough to think of inflicting herself as a boarder upon any housewife in the town.  No, the toll-gate was the home for her; and if Captain Asher chose to inflict himself upon her for a few years longer, she would try to endure it.

One obstacle to her plans was now gone, and she must devote herself to the work of getting rid of the other one.  While Olive Asher remained at the tollhouse there was no chance for her in that quarter.

The funeral was over, and when the bereaved Miss Port took leave of Captain Asher she exhibited a quiet gratitude which was very becoming and suitable.  During the short time when he had visited the house every day she had showed him no resentment on account of what had passed between them, and had treated him very much as if he had been one of her father’s old friends with whom she was not very well acquainted and to whom she was indebted for various services connected with the sad occasion.