Having--somewhat indignantly--ascertained this fact, the mother ran upstairs to quiet her little ones.

When she came down, John still stood with the letter in his hand.

He had not told me what it was; when I chanced to ask he answered in a low tone--"Presently!" On his wife's entrance he gave her the letter without a word.
Well might it startle her into a cry of joy.

Truly the dealings of heaven to us were wonderful! "Mr.John Halifax.
"SIR, "Your wife, Ursula Halifax, having some time since attained the age fixed by her late father as her majority, I will, within a month after date, pay over to your order all moneys, principal and interest, accruing to her, and hitherto left in my hands, as trustee, according to the will of the late Henry March, Esquire.
"I am, sir, "Yours, etc., "RICHARD BRITHWOOD." "Wonderful--wonderful!" It was all I could say.

That one bad man, for his own purposes, should influence another bad man to an act of justice--and that their double evil should be made to work out our good! Also, that this should come just in our time of need--when John's strength seemed ready to fail.
"Oh John--John! now you need not work so hard!" That was his wife's first cry, as she clung to him almost in tears.
He too was a good deal agitated.