You told me in one of your
letters before Christmas that Mr. Tallboys had failed altogether. So
how did it come to be found?"
Mrs. Conway thereupon told the story. When she came to the point where
she had gone as a servant to the Hall, Ralph interrupted her with a
loud protest. "I don't like that, mother; I don't like the idea of
your having gone as a servant, whatever the stake was. If I had been
at home and had known it, I certainly would not have let you go, not
if there had been ten fortunes to be gained by it. The idea of your
having to go and live as a servant, and work for people like that is
horrid!"
"There was nothing very unpleasant about it, Ralph. I had plenty to do
and to think about, and the time passed a great deal more rapidly than
it would have done if I had been staying at home all by myself. It
would have been very lonely and dull then; and I can assure you that I
considered it no hardship at all being at the Hall. But you must not
interrupt me in my story. If you do I shall tell you nothing more
about it until you get home to England."
This threat effectually sealed Ralph's lips, and beyond occasional
exclamations he said nothing until the story was ended.
"Well, it's all very wonderful, mother," he said; "and I should never
have thought for a moment that you were so brave, and could have put
things together like that, and could have carried out such a scheme.
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