"There, there!" Miss Pamela exclaimed, as she rose from her chair; "now I'm going to take off my bonnet. Come along, Mary."
But Miss Holcroft lingered to kiss Marigold, and to whisper that she was pleased with her good news, and she and Pamela would have a talk together to decide what gift should be sent to the boys.
Later, when the little girl was in the midst of her letter to her mother, her aunts joined her again, and Miss Holcroft, handing her a folded paper, told her to enclose it, and say it was intended as a gift for her brothers. Marigold did not know it was a cheque for ten pounds, for she slipped it into the envelope without examining it, but she realised that it meant money, and the happiness and gratitude plainly visible on her face spoke her thanks, even better than the faltering words with which she endeavoured to express them.
It had been decided that they were to start for Boscombe at the end of the following week, taking Barker with them, and leaving the other servants in charge of the house during their absence. A few days before their departure, Marigold accompanied Miss Pamela to call on Mrs. Barker, and was received by the old woman with great cordiality. She told them that Mrs. Adams had been to see her, and had brought a hamper of good things from the farm for her acceptance.
"We've both grown old since we last met," Mrs. Barker said, "and we've both had trials and troubles, though hers came all at once, so to speak, and mine have been spread over the years. Ah! it did me good to see her again, and talk over old times, and she said the sound of my voice brought back the past. I made her a cup of tea, and by and by her son came to fetch her, and they went away together."
"Shall I read you a chapter from the Bible?" Marigold asked presently, when there was a pause in the conversation. "Barker said she was sure you would wish me to. We are not in a hurry, are we Aunt Pamela?"
"Not in the least," Miss Pamela replied.
So the old woman placed her Bible before Marigold, and listened attentively whilst the little girl read aloud the twenty-sixth chapter of the Acts of the Apostles, wherein is the account of how Paul told King Agrippa the history of his life, and his conversion to Christianity.
"And they said he was mad!" the old woman exclaimed, when Marigold had finished.
"Festus said much learning had made him mad," Miss Pamela said; "as though a madman could have defended himself as Paul did!"