d to spend at least every penny of the
income."

The sad-hearted man stared at the curate.

"How is a man to do any thing whom God has forsaken?" he said.

"If He had forsaken you, for as dreary work as it would be, you would
have to try to do your duty notwithstanding. But He has not forsaken
you. He has given you a very sharp lesson, I grant, and as such you must
take it, but that is the very opposite of forsaking you. He has let you
know what it is not to trust in Him, and what it would be to have money
that did not come from His hand. You did not conquer in the fight with
Mammon when you were poor, and God has given you another chance: He
expects you to get the better of him now you are rich. If God had
forsaken you, I should have found you strutting about and glorying over
imagined enemies."

"Do you really think that is the mind of God toward me?" cried the poor
man, starting half up in bed. "_Do_ you think so?" he repeated, staring
at the curate almost as wildly as at first, but with a different
expression.

"I do," said Wingfold; "and it will be a bad job indeed if you fail in
both trials. But that I am sure you will not. It is your business now to
get this money into your hands as soon as possible, and proceed to spend
it."

"Would there be any harm in ordering a few things from the
tradespeople?" asked Dorothy.

"How should there be?" returned Wingfold.

"Because, you see," answered Dorothy, "we can't be sure of a bird in the
bush."

"Can you be sure of it in your hands? It may spread its wings when you
least expect it. But Helen will be delighted to take the risk--up to a
few hundreds," he added laughing.

"Somebody may dispute the will: they do sometimes," said Dorothy.

"They do very often," answered Wingfold. "It does not look likely in the
present case; but our trust must be neither in the will nor in the
fortune, but in the living God. You have to get all the _good_ out of
this money you can. If you will walk over to the rectory with me now,
while your father gets up, we will carry the good news to my wife, and
she will lend you what money you like, so that you need order nothing
without paying for it."

"Please ask her not to tell any body," said Mr. Drake. "I shouldn't like
it talked about before I understand it myself."

"You are quite right. If I were you I would tell nobody yet but Mr.
Drew. He is a right man, and will help you to bear your good fortune. I
have always found good fo