The living was not a rich one, and
assured as they had been by Mr. Penfold that he intended to provide
for Mabel, they had not endeavored to lay by anything for her, and had
freely dispensed their surplus income among the sick and needy of the
parish. The disappearance of the will had disappointed their hopes,
and raised many anxious thoughts in Mrs. Withers' mind respecting
Mabel's future, and the offer contained in the letter had therefore
filled her with pleasure. But she greatly valued her husband's
judgment, and therefore only replied:
"Why, dear?"
"Well, you see, wife, we are both thoroughly agreed that these ladies
are depriving Mabel of the fortune Herbert Penfold left her. They are
concealing or have destroyed his will, and are at present in what we
may call fraudulent possession of his property. Now, I do not think
that under these circumstances we can accept a favor at their hands.
To do so would be practically to acquiesce in what we consider the
robbery of our child, and the acceptance would of course involve a
renewal of friendly relations with them; a thing which, believing as
we do that they are acting wickedly would be distasteful in the
extreme, not to say impossible."
"Of course you are right, dear," Mrs. Withers said, rising from her
seat and going over and kissing her husband tenderly.
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