31/36 Mercy's attempted reticence in her letter had not blinded him. He felt what had underlain the words, and it was a hard blow to him. His conscience was as free from any shadow of guilt in the matter of that money as if it had been his by direct inheritance from his own father. Feeling this, he had naturally the keenest sense of outrage at Mercy's implied accusation. The more she thought the thing over, the more she felt sure that Mrs.Jacobs must be dead, and that Stephen in his great excitement had forgotten to mention the fact. |