here."

"I have not been here--at least not in this house; but I was in the
church every Sunday. I was there before you went away, although you
did not see me. I was sitting in the pew with the Hall servants."

"With the Hall servants!" Mabel repeated in astonishment. "What did
you sit with them for? and where were you staying? and why did you
come to the church every Sunday and not come here?"

"That's just the story you are going to hear, Mabel. You heard of
course, that it was Mr. Penfold's intention to leave you half his
estates?"

"Yes, I heard that; and then there was no will found so of course I
didn't get it."

"No, my dear; but as we all believed that there was such a will, we
were naturally unwilling to let the matter rest. Still, the chance of
finding it seemed very remote. You remember we spoke to you about it
when they offered you that hundred a year."

"Yes, papa, you told me then that you thought they were keeping me out
of my rights, and that was why I ought to refuse to take it. Yes, you
did say they were keeping Ralph out too, and that was partly why you
thought I ought not to agree to take the money; and of course I
thought so too, because that would seem as if we had deserted Ralph."

"Well, Mabel, at that time the chance of our ever hearing anything of
the will was so remote that I think both your mother and myself had
entirely given up hope, and I am sure we should never have taken any
more steps in the matter. Fortunately Mrs. Conway possesses a great
deal more energy and perseverance than we have, and when she found
that we gave it up, and that Mr. Tallboys gave it up, she determined
to take the matter in her own hands. Now she will tell us how she has
succeeded, and you must listen quietly and not ask more questions than
you can help till she has finished."

"Well, my dear," Mrs. Conway went on, "Mr. Tallboys, Mr. Penfold's
lawyer, did everything he possibly could to find the will, but he
could not do so; and as my son was with you the person that had been
robbed, I thought it was my duty to undertake the search myself."

Mrs. Conway then related step by step the measures she had taken to
obtain a situation as servant at the Hall, and then went on to tell
the manner in which she had carried on the search, and how success had
finally crowned her efforts, her story being frequently interrupted by
exclamations and questions from her hearers.

"What do you mean to do next?" Mr. Withers