ith unwinking vigilance. For a long while
she beheld no object of special interest, but at last, after seeing the
grocer's cart, a travelling tinker, two cows and a boy go by, her
patience was handsomely rewarded. To her delight, she descried Mrs.
Billing, the doctor's wife, emerge from "Littlecote" and, hammering on
the window to attract notice, she flew down to open the hall door.

Mrs. Billing, a stout, middle-aged lady, looked unusually hot and
flustered as she waddled through the little green gate and entered the
cottage.

"Why, my dear, you seem quite upset!" cried Jane, as she welcomed the
visitor, "come into the dining-room, and have a glass of milk."

But Mrs. Billing dismissing the proffered refreshment with a dramatic
wave of her hand, subsided upon the only chair in the narrow hall and
gasped out:

"I have just come from 'Littlecote.' Mr. Shafto is gone--he died last
night!"

CHAPTER II

WHAT HANNAH SAID

On hearing this announcement, Jane Tebbs gave a little lurch and leant
against the wall in speechless horror; and yet in her heart she had
been more than half expecting--we will not say hoping for--some
tragedy. Then she made a rush to the store-room, where Miss Mitty,
invested in a large blue apron, was methodically marking eggs.

"Sister, sister, come out!" she cried. "Mrs. Billing is here; she says
Mr. Shafto is dead; I told you that something had happened!"

"Dead!" repeated Mitty, staring blankly at her relative. Then she cast
aside her apron and hurried into the hall. "Let us all go into the
dining-room," she continued, leading the way. "What a shocking thing,
Mrs. Billing!"--turning to her visitor. "Do tell us the particulars.
I can hardly believe it! Why, I saw Mr. Shafto in Bricklands on
Tuesday, and he looked as well as he ever did in his life."

"That was the day he heard the news," announced Mrs. Billing, selecting
an arm-chair and casting off her feather boa.

"Bad news?" suggested Miss Jane.

"Very bad indeed--could not be worse. He heard he'd lost every penny
he possessed in the wide world."

"Great patience!" ejaculated Miss Tebbs; "you don't say so; but how?"

"Well, you know he was always comfortably off; indeed, one might say
rich."

"That's true! They keep five maids indoors, and a charwoman three
times a week, two men and a boy in the garden, and two men in the
stables," glibly enumerated Miss Jane. "All that is not done on small
means, and I happe