“I mean this, that she bought the pencil herself at Bennett’s, as I happen to know. Where she got the money from, you can tell better than I can.”
“I can’t believe it,” said Mrs. Merton, very much perturbed.
“Didn’t you see how she flushed up when I said I had seen a pencil like it at Bennett’s? However, you can ask her.”
Mrs. Merton could not rest now till she had ascertained the truth. Mary was called, and, after an attempt at denial, finally made confession in a flood of tears.
“How could you let me send Jane away on account of your fault?” asked her mother, much disturbed.
“I didn’t dare to own it. You won’t tell, mother?”
“I must return the money to Mr. Holland.”
“You can tell him that it was accidentally found.”
This Mrs. Merton finally agreed to do, not wishing to expose her own child. She was really a kind-hearted woman, and was very sorry for her injustice to Tom.
“What will your uncle say?” she inquired, after Mrs. Carver had gone.