“She is a lot better than her sister, she is; and if any wrong’s been done it’s the old one that’s done it, I am sure, and Martha always said so too.  I could put up with the younger one very well, but I can’t abide Miss Penfold.”

“I am quite anxious to see the room, Jane, after what you have been telling me about it.”

“Well, you will see it in about a week.  It’s always on the first of the month that it is done up; and you will see the old woman will go in with you, and watch you all the time like a cat watches a mouse.  Martha used to say so, But there—­as you are not from this part of the country, and she won’t think as you know nothing about the will or care nothing about it, she won’t keep such a sharp lookout after you as she did with Martha.”

Upon the following Sunday Mrs. Withers, on the way home from church, asked her husband with some anxiety whether he was not well.  “I noticed you were quite pale in church, James, and you lost your place once or twice, and seemed as if you really weren’t attending to what you were doing?”

“Then I am afraid, my dear, I seemed what I was, for I was tremendously surprised; and though I tried hard to keep my thoughts from wandering I am afraid I succeeded very badly.”

“Surprised, James!  What was it?”

“I will tell you, my dear.  You know that letter we had a fortnight ago from Mrs. Conway, and that we puzzled over it a good deal.  After talking as usual about her being determined to find the will and set matters straight, she said that we might possibly see her before long, and begged us not to show any surprise or to seem to recognize her.  Well, you know, we talked it over, and could make nothing of it.  Now I know what she means.”

“What!  Did you see her in church to-day, James?”

“I did, Amy; and where do you think she was?”

“I can’t guess, James.  Why, where could she be, and where can she be staying if not with us?  I didn’t see her.  Are you sure you are not mistaken?”

“She was sitting behind you, Amy, which will account for your not seeing her.  She was sitting in the Penfolds servants’ pew, in a plain straw bonnet and quiet clothes like the others.”

“Among the Penfolds’ servants, James!  Are you dreaming?”

“Not at all, my dear; there she was, sure enough.  I could not possibly be mistaken.”

Mrs. Withers was silent for some time with surprise.

“But what can she be doing there, James?  Do you mean to say that you think that she has really gone to service at the Hall?”

“That is what I do think,” the clergyman replied.  “You know how she said over and over again that she was determined somehow to find the will.  Well, I believe that she has in some way in pursuance of that purpose gone as a servant to the Penfolds.  Now, my dear, you will not be surprised that I found it somewhat difficult to keep my thoughts from wandering.”