It continued: "O Mercy, my darling, do you suppose you can realize what this sudden lift is to me?
All my life I have found our poverty so hard to bear, and these latter years I have bitterly felt the hardship of being unable to go out into the world and make my fortune as other men do, as I think I might, if I were free.

But this sum, small as it is, will be a nucleus, I feel sure it will, of a competency at least.

I know of several openings where I can place it most advantageously.

O Mercy! dear, dear Mercy! what hopes spring up in my heart! The time may yet come when we shall build up a lovely home together.

Bless old Jacobs's miserliness! How little he knew what he was hoarding up his gold for!" At this point, Mercy dropped the letter,--dropped it as if it had been a viper that stung her.