Herbert picked them up eagerly and cried: “Why, mother, they are ten-dollar bills. Twenty dollars in all!”
“Twenty dollars!” repeated Mrs. Carter, in amazement.
“Hurrah! now we can pay the interest!” exclaimed Herbert. “Won't the squire be mad!” and he laughed joyously. “Read the letter aloud, mother.”
Mrs. Carter read as follows:
“MY DEAR NIECE: I have thought of you often, and wish we were not so far distant from each other. I should enjoy seeing you and that good son of yours often. I am afraid you have had a hard time getting along. My wants are few and I have more than enough to supply them. I inclose twenty dollars in this letter. I shall not need them, for an old woman like me can live on very little.
“I wish you would write to me sometimes or ask Herbert to. I feel lonely and it would be a great favor to me. If it were not so far, I would ask you and Herbert to come over and spend a day or two with me. Perhaps you can manage to do it some time. Only don't delay too long, for I am getting old and can't expect to live much longer,
“Your affectionate aunt,
“NANCY CARTER.”
“How good of Aunt Nancy! If her brother had possessed her kind heart, we should be better off to-day.”
“It came just in the nick of time, mother. How lucky!”