ave a final
examination of all the papers in her father's desk, he asked Dexie's
assistance, giving as a reason that a certain Mr. Plaisted had put in his
claims for a large amount as soon as her father's death had been published.
After explaining the matter to Dexie, she knew at once where to look for
the proof needed to refute such claims, and placing the copy of the letter
she had brought home from Prince Edward Island into the hands of the
lawyer, she told him all the circumstances connected with it, and the break
in the business intercourse with her father in consequence of it.

"Well, that Plaisted is a regular scamp!" said the lawyer. "I will take
this letter with me, and with the knowledge I have now of him and his
doings I fancy he will not care to face a judge and jury to enforce his
claims, as he so boldly announces his intention. If I had known of this, or
had taken this bundle of papers with me before, it would have saved me much
time and annoyance. However, this time I will leave nothing but what you
can claim as your father's gift, Miss Sherwood. The desk and its contents
are now yours."

"Now, Miss Sherwood," said he, later, "I am ready to see your mother and
have a talk with her; and if you will bring along the bills, which I
daresay are rather heavy, I will see to their settlement."

"There are no bills to settle, Mr. Hackett--none, at least, that I know of;
everything was paid for as it was ordered. I must confess we are about
penniless, though," she smilingly said, "and if you had delayed coming for
many more days we would have been like Mother Hubbard, with a bare
cupboard."

"Why, you do not mean it, surely! Well, well! I never thought of such a
possibility! But, then, I never thought you would try to settle the bills
out of the money left for other purposes. Other things might have waited
till I came to look after them myself."

"It has not hurt us to practise economy, and I did not want people to think
that papa did not leave us enough to pay our expenses, so I paid the bills
as long as the money held out. I had a little saved up, and that came in
very handy, but I shall be glad to get something on the housekeeping
account. They have all been protesting against the lack of variety on the
table, till my sister thinks she is boarding at the poorhouse."

"Oh, not quite so bad as that! not quite so bad, I hope! But you should
have written to me, my dear Miss Sherwood, and told me about it. You h