"Had
you known her long?"
"I never once saw her," said Hector.
"But I did," said Annie, "and I heard her say how delighted she was with
his first book. Please, sir," she added, "will it be long before you can
let us have the money?"
"You shall have it by-and-by," answered the lawyer; "all in good time."
And now first they learned that not a penny of the money would they
receive before the end of a twelvemonth.
"Well, that will give us plenty of time to die first," thought Hector,
"which I am sure the kind lady did not intend when she left us the
money."
Another thing they learned was that, even then, they would not receive
the whole of the money left them, for seeing they could claim no
relation to the legator, ten per cent must be deducted from their
legacy. If they came to him in a year from the date of her death, he
told them he would have much pleasure in handing them the sum of four
hundred and fifty pounds.
So they left the office--not very exultant, for they were both rather
hungry, and had to go at once in search of work--with but a poor chance
of borrowing upon it.
Nevertheless, Hector broke the silence by saying:
"I declare, Annie, I feel so light and free already that I could invent
anything, even a fairy tale, and I feel as if it would be a lovely one.
I hope you have a penny left to buy a new bottle of ink. The ink at home
is so thick it takes three strokes to one mark."
"Yes, dear, I have a penny; I have two, indeed--just twopence left.
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