"I don't think it's a mistake, Mrs. Thomas."
"Thank you, sir. Thomas he wouldn't hear of spending it till I'd asked you, and he do say how he'll keep the coin, but I says Miss Toney tells us to spend it and it wouldn't be honest not to."
Mrs. Thomas had already mentally spent it, and could not at all agree with wrapping up the gold as a keepsake.
"Certainly, she means you to spend it. You must all come to do her honour to-day. If we could all think of other people instead of ourselves as she does, our village would be none the worse!"
"Thomas thinks no end of her after what she did for him, sir, he wouldn't go the public now as he used to do if you was to pay him to go, all along of Miss Toney. Thank you, sir, I'll tell Thomas."
In another moment the Vicar met his own gardener, who lived in a cottage close by.
"If you please, sir, Miss Toney sent me a sovereign. Is it all right, sir, for me to accept it?"
"She has made no favourite, Turner, every villager on her uncle's estate has the same, I believe."
Mr. Hales returned home with a smile on his lips.
"Mother! our madcap heiress has sent a sovereign to each of her uncle's cottagers. I don't know what other surprises we shall have this evening." Mrs. Hales shook her head.