"Shall you be long?" she asked, with so sad a face I did not like to leave her.
"Two or three days at the outside," I told her. Then I took twenty golden sovereigns from my purse and laid them before her, begging her not to want for anything while I was away.
She looked almost alarmed at such a quantity of money.
"Twenty pounds, Edgar!" she cried. "How rich we are!" And I thought to myself, "if she only knew!"
Then I went into my own room, and my first action was to thank God for this wonderful benefit. I thanked Him with streaming eyes and grateful heart, making a promise—which I have never broken—that I would act as steward of these great riches, and not forget the needy and the poor.
At five o'clock I started for Thornycroft, the nearest town to Crown Anstey. The journey was not a very long one, but I took no heed of time. Was it all a dream, or was I in reality going to take possession of a new and magnificent home?
I reached the station—it was a large one. Thornycroft seemed to be a thriving town. No one was there to meet me. I went to the nearest hotel and ordered a carriage to Crown Anstey.
I can recall even now my ecstasy of bewilderment at the splendid woods, the beautiful park, the pleasure gardens. How long was it since I had felt tears rush warm to my eyes at the scent of the violets? Here were lime trees and lindens, grand old oaks, splendid poplars, beech trees, cedars, magnolias with luscious blossom, hawthorn, white and pink larches budding, and all were mine—mine. Then from between the luxuriant foliage I saw the tall, gray towers of a stately mansion, and my whole heart went out to it as my future home.
The birds were singing, the sun shining; all nature was so beautiful and bright that my very soul was enraptured.
Then I caught a glimpse of gold from the laburnums, of purple from the lilacs, of white from the sweet acacia trees.