to leave him alone, for
he is really a good fellow, and explained to them that he had never
been to school, or had a chance of learning to keep his temper. But he
is getting on now, and will, I think, soon be left alone. This has
been an awfully long letter, and there is only just enough candle left
for me to get into bed by. Anyhow mother, I am not a bit upset about
losing Mr. Penfold's allowance; so don't you worry yourself at all
about that."

Some weeks passed on. Mr. Tallboys wrote that he had failed to induce
the court to accept the copy of the will, the admission he was forced
to make that Mr. Penfold had intended to make an alteration in it
being fatal. He had, however, obtained an order authorizing him
thoroughly to search the house, and to take down any wainscotting, and
to pull up any floors that might appear likely to conceal a
hiding-place. A fortnight later he wrote again to announce his
failure.

"The Miss Penfolds," he said, "were so indignant that they left the
house altogether, and you may believe that we ransacked it from top to
bottom. I had four carpenters and two masons with me, and I think we
tapped every square foot of wall in the house, took down the
wainscotting wherever there was the slightest hollow sound, lifted
lots of the flooring, and even wrenched up several of the
hearthstones, but could find nothing whatever, except that there was a
staircase leading from behind the wainscotting in Mr. Penfold's room
to a door covered with ivy, and concealed from view by bushes to the
left of the house; but the ivy had evidently been undisturbed for
fifty years or so, this passage, even if known to Mr. Penfold, had
certainly not been used in his time.

"I truly regret, my dear madam, that the search should have been so
unsuccessful, and can only say, that all that could be done has been
done. That the will is concealed somewhere I have not a shadow of
doubt, unless, of course, it has been torn up before this. As to that
I give no opinion; and, indeed, as it is a matter in which women are
concerned, your judgment as to the probabilities is much more likely
to be correct than mine. As I expected, my business connection with
the family has come to an end. The Miss Penfolds have appointed
another agent, who has written to me requesting me to hand over all
papers connected with the property. This, of course, I shall do. I
need hardly say that in no case could I have consented to act for
those whom I c