The brother and sister agreed to keep the secret to themselves for the present and see what happened on the morrow.
True to her promise, Molly found Hester waiting at the corner the next day, dressed in a cotton overall and a shawl over her head, which was the costume most of the mill-girls patronized for working purposes. And having delivered the dirty but precious missive to her charge, Molly took her hand and the two girls walked into the handsome shop and asked to be directed to the tailoring department by a waiting messenger near the door.
They looked a strange pair of customers for the tailoring department as the messenger escorted them through the long shop. When Mr. Brading caught sight of them, he hurried on to be near at hand when they arrived at Mr. Langley's department, for Arthur had not kept the secret from either Mr. Brading or Mr. Bristow, and both were anxious to see whether the little mill-girl would turn up, and Mr. Brading was very glad when he saw them.
"This is Mr. Langley," said the messenger when he had convoyed the girls to the tailor's shop, and immediately Hester placed her grimy-looking missive on the counter and said, "Please, sir, is that letter for you?"
The manager took it up and looked at it before opening it, and then exclaimed rather sharply, "Where did you get this from?"
"It was in the waste at the mill. I work at Robinson's, and that was in the waste-paper which I have to sort," explained Hester.
And then Molly told him that Hester had brought it to their servant for advice as to what should be done with it.
"And you are Miss Molly Murray, I think," said another gentleman who had just joined Mr. Langley. "You see, you were not altogether unexpected," he said, smiling. Then, turning to Hester, he said, "Now, if I give you a sovereign for this piece of paper," holding up the post office order, "do you think that will do?"
"Oh yes, sir! And Miss Molly is going to give me my tea and hot cakes," said Hester, quite overcome at her good fortune, as Mr. Brading gave her the sovereign out of his own purse.
And then he wished Molly good-morning, and the two girls left the shop.