k her head hopelessly, and for once Mollie followed her
example.

"Ah, that will never be! There is no more hope. We are leaving against
Uncle Bernard's wishes, and at the very worst possible time, for he is
angry and upset because there is no way of finding out who opened the
desk and read the draft of the will. We are all indignant at being
suspected; yet it seems strange that an outsider should be so
interested. It is terribly unfortunate, especially for Uncle Bernard,
for he can't help feeling his confidence shaken; and yet, so far as we
can see, nothing will ever be found out."

"Yes, it will all be explained some day," said Mrs Thornton solemnly.
"Don't ask me how, for I can't tell. I only know that evil deeds are
the most difficult things in the world to hide, and that in the most
wonderful and unexpected ways they are discovered long after hope of
detection has been abandoned. It will be so in this case also. Whoever
is mean and wicked enough to allow you, dear children, to bear an unjust
suspicion in addition to your own trouble, will be put to the shame he
deserves. As for your coming back again, I will not give up hope if you
do. I can't afford to lose all my castles in the air. It is decided
that one of you is to be Lady of the Manor, and put our societies out of
debt, and pay for a parish nurse, and take my dear girls about when they
come home, and make life a fairy tale for us all. You have raised my
expectations, and I intend to go on expecting! Seriously, dears,
whatever Mr Farrell may say to you just now, in the first heat of
disappointment, I cannot believe he will really think less of you for
giving up your own pleasure to hurry back to your mother. Mr Melland
has only himself to thank if his name is struck off the list; but you
were willing and anxious to stay, and are the victims of circumstances.
If I were in the squire's place I should think all the more highly of
you for your unselfish devotion, and I believe he will, though he will
never confess as much in words. But time will show! Meantime, my poor
dears, we will think of you every day, and pray for you that you may be
shown what to do, and have strength to do it. I have had my own share
of money troubles, and would never try to belittle them in my own case
or in the case of others. They are very hard and sordid, and far-
reaching. There was a time in my life when money seemed in the
background of every thought, and I could