it very unpleasant for me if you had chosen to take me to the lockup
instead of bringing me here, and I am very willing to give you what I
promised you. I can afford it very well," she said cheerfully, as he
still hesitated, "and I dare say it will be useful to you."

The man took the money and touched his hat, and sat quiet until the
door opened, and Mr. Withers in a dressing-gown and holding a candle
appeared.

"You have done quite right in bringing the lady up here," Mr. Withers
said; "but you need not go talking about it in the village."

"Very well, sir; I will say nothing about it. Good-night, sir.
Good-night ma'am."

"My dear Mrs. Conway, what has happened to bring you here at this hour
of the night?" Mr. Withers asked as he closed the door behind. "Did I
understand you to say that you have got it? Is it possible that you
have found the will?"

"Quite possible, Mr. Withers. Here it is in its envelope, with the
seals unbroken."

"You astound me!" Mr. Withers exclaimed. At this moment Mrs. Withers
made her appearance at the top of the stairs, her husband having
briefly said as he hurried out of the room that it was Mrs. Conway.

"Amy," he said, "here is Mrs. Conway. And, what do you think? she has
brought the missing will with her."

With an exclamation Mrs. Withers ran downstairs and threw her arms
round Mrs. Conway. "You dear brave creature," she said, "I have been
longing to speak to you for the last six months. It seems so unnatural
your being close to us, and my not being able to see you, And you have
really found the will? I can hardly believe it. How has it all come
about?"

"Don't bother her, Amy," Mr. Withers said; for now that the excitement
was past Mrs. Conway was trembling all over, and was scarcely able to
keep her feet. "She is overtired and overexcited. Take her straight up
to the spare room and get her to bed. I will make her a tumbler of hot
port wine and water. The water is sure to be warm in the kitchen, and
a stick or two will make it boil by the time she is ready for it. We
will hear all about it in the morning. We have got the will safe, and
we have got her; that is quite enough for us for to-night, all the
rest will keep very well until to-morrow."

In a few minutes Mrs. Conway was in bed, and after drinking the
tumbler of hot negus Mr. Withers had prepared for her she soon fell
asleep.

Mrs. Withers came into the room early in the morning. "My husband says
you are not to thi