“I had an allowance of a hundred and fifty pounds a year from him as long as he lived, and when it stopped I made some inquiry, and found that you had got Cross Hall and all that he had.  I think that I should have got some notise of his being dead, but I am quite used to being neglected.  I hope you will not let me be any poorer, but the contrary, for I have been a better mother to you than many a one as makes more fuss.  It was him as would not let me keep you, and drove me away to Australia.  I would come to see you now that he is out of the way, but I cannot afford the expense.  If I had not met with shuch ungrateful conduct from them as ought to have provided for me, I might have been rich enuf; but it is a bad world, and the longer I live, I see that it gets worse and worse.  It will be for your advantage to keep friendly with me, and at any rate you will do as much as your father did, which was little enuf, God knows.  But I expect as the baby that I loved so dear will be a good kind son to me now you have come into the property.

“Address to Mrs. Peck, care of Henry Talbot, Esq., solicitor, -----
Street, Melbourne.  I was not allowed to keep my own name or to take
his, and so everybody knows me by the name of Mrs. Peck, but I am
really and truly your afexionate mother.

“Elizabeth Hogarth.”

“P.S.  Send me an answer and a remittance by the first mail.  I am very badly off and need money.”

Jane read this letter twice over, and looked at the address and the postmark carefully.

“What do you think of it?” said he, anxiously.

“Have you asked Mr. McFarlane if he thinks this letter genuine?”

“He never saw any of Elizabeth Hogarth’s writing.  Any communication which my father received from her, he must have destroyed at once.”

“Did he know anything of the 150 pounds a year?”

“He thought it probable some money was paid to keep her at a distance, but did not know anything as to how much it was, or when it was sent.”

“Is there any trace in the banking transactions of my uncle of such a payment being remitted regularly to Australia?”

“I can see nothing of the kind.  I looked over some old books with that intention, but your uncle’s books were not by any means so minute and methodical as yours.  He drew large sums and did not record how he spent them, whereas your housekeeping books are models of accurate accounts.  I hope Mr. Phillips appreciates your talents in this line?”

“Quite sufficiently, I assure you.  But with regard to this letter—­what was Mr. McFarlane’s advice on the subject?” asked Jane.