He could not speak. With a smitten heart, he knew
it all now. Ah! Dr. Renton, you know these people's tricks? you know
their lying blazon of poverty, to gather sympathy?
"Mrs. Miller,"--she had ceased weeping, and as he spoke, she looked
at him, with the tear-stains still on her agitated face, half ashamed
that he had seen her,--"Mrs. Miller, I am sorry. This shall be remedied.
Don't tell me it sha'n't! Don't! I say it shall! Mrs. Miller, I'm--I'm
ashamed of myself. I am indeed."
"I am very grateful, sir, I'm sure," said she; "but we don't like to
take charity, though we need help; but we can get along now, sir; for
I suppose I must keep it, as you say you didn't send it, and use it
for the children's sake, and thank God for his good mercy,--since I
don't know, and never shall, where it came from, now."
"Mrs. Miller," he said quickly, "you spoke in this way before; and I
don't know what you refer to. What do you mean by--_it_?"
"Oh! I forgot, sir: it puzzles me so. You see, sir, I was sitting here
after I got home from your house, thinking what I should do, when Mrs.
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