Sara again declined , alleging that her heart was buried in Jack 's grave , or words to that effect . I found that it did not much matter ... of course , at thirty-two one does not take these things to heart as at twenty-two . I had enough to occupy me in getting The Maples into working order , and beginning to educate Betty . Betty was Sara 's ten year-old daughter , and she had been thoroughly spoiled . That is to say , she had been allowed her own way in everything and , having inherited her father 's outdoor tastes , had simply run wild . She was a thorough tomboy , a thin , scrawny little thing with a trace of Sara 's beauty . Betty took after her father 's dark , tall race and , on the occasion of my first introduction to her , seemed to be all legs and neck . There were points about her , though , which I considered promising . She had fine , almond-shaped , hazel eyes , the smallest and most shapely hands and feet I ever saw , and two enormous braids of thick , nut-brown hair . For Jack 's sake I decided to bring his daughter up properly . Sara could n't do it , and did n't try . I saw that , if somebody did n't take Betty in hand , wisely and firmly , she would certainly be ruined . There seemed to be nobody except myself at all interested in the matter , so I determined to see what an old bachelor could do as regards bringing up a girl in the way she should go . I might have been her father ; as it was , her father had been my best friend . Who had a better right to watch over his daughter ? I determined to be a father to Betty , and do all for her that the most devoted parent could do . It was , self-evidently , my duty . I told Sara I was going to take Betty in hand . Sara sighed one of the plaintive little sighs which I had once thought so charming , but now , to my surprise , found faintly irritating , and said that she would be very much obliged if I would . `` I feel that I am not able to cope with the problem of Betty 's education , Stephen , '' she admitted , `` Betty is a strange child ... all Churchill .
Her poor father indulged her in everything , and she has a will XXXXX her own , I assure you .
For about after as at except into of that up