Australia into the boy's 'ed. He used to tell us he'd got a brother
there, doin' well. P'r'aps it wasn't true.'

'Yes, it was true,' replied the old man coldly. 'But you haven't
told me what came to pass about the child.'

An exact report of all that Mrs. Peckover had to say on this subject
would occupy more space than it merits. The gist of it was that for
less than a year she had received certain stipulated sums
irregularly; that at length no money at all was forthcoming; that in
the tenderness of her heart she had still entertained the child,
sent her to school, privately instructed her in the domestic
virtues, trusting that such humanity would not lack even its
material reward, and that either Joseph Snowdon or someone akin to
him would ultimately make good to her the expenses she had not
grudged.

'She's a child as pays you back for all the trouble you take, so
much I _will_ say for her,' observed the matron in conclusion. 'Not
as it hasn't been a little 'ard to teach her tidiness, but she's
only a young thing still. I shouldn't wonder but she's felt her
position a little now an' then; it's only natural in a growin' girl,
do what you can to prevent it. Still, she's willin'; that nobody can
deny, an' I'm sure I should never wish to. Her cirkinstances has
been peculiar; that you'll understand, I'm sure. But I done my best
to take the place of the mother as is gone to a better world. An'
now that she's layin' ill, I'm sure no mother could feel it more--'

'Ill? Why didn't you mention that before?'