He really ought to . But of course he never will . '' `` Have you ever asked him ? '' said Dorinda . `` Oh , my dear , no ; of course not , '' said Mrs. Page in a horrified tone , as if Dorinda had asked if she had ever stolen a neighbour 's spoons . `` I do n't see why you should n't , '' said Dorinda seriously . `` Oh , Dorinda , Uncle Eugene hates us all . He is terribly bitter against us . He would never , never listen to any request for help , even if I could bring myself to make it . '' `` Mother , what was the trouble between us and Uncle Eugene ? I have never known the rights of it . I was too small to understand when I was home before . All I remember is that Uncle Eugene never came to see us or spoke to us when he met us anywhere , and we were all afraid of him somehow . I used to think of him as an ogre who would come creeping up the back stairs after dark and carry me off bodily if I was n't good . What made him our enemy ? And how did he come to get all of Grandfather Page 's property when Father got nothing ? '' `` Well , you know , Dorinda , that your Grandfather Page was married twice . Eugene was his first wife 's son , and your father the second wife 's . Eugene was a great deal older than your father -- he was twenty-five when your father was born . He was always an odd man , even in his youth , and he had been much displeased at his father 's second marriage .
But he was very fond XXXXX your father -- whose mother , as you know , died at his birth -- and they were good friends and comrades until just before your father went to college .
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