Mavis was not long in discovering that the command of money provided her with a means of escape from the prepossessions afflicting her mind.  The first thing she did was to summon the most renowned nerve specialists to Melkbridge, where they held a lengthy consultation in respect of Harold’s physical condition.  Mavis was anxious to know if anything could be done to strengthen the slender thread of his life; she was much distressed to learn that the specialists’ united skill could do nothing to stay the pitiless course of his disease.  This verdict provided a further sorrow for Mavis, which she had to keep resolutely to herself, inasmuch as she told Harold that the doctors had spoken most favourably of the chances of his obtaining considerable alleviation of his physical distresses.

“And then you regret my coming into all this money, when it can do so much for you,” she said, with a fine assumption of cheerfulness.

To get some distraction from her many troubles, Mavis next set about seeking out all the people who had ever been kind to her in order that they should benefit from her good fortune.

It did not take her long to discover that Miss Annie Mee was dead; but for all she and her solicitors were able to do, they could find no trace of ’Melia.  Mavis paid Mr Poulter’s debts, gave him a present of a hundred pounds (endowing the academy he called it), and, in memory of Miss Nippett, she gave “Turpsichor” two fine new coats of paint.  Mavis also discovered where Miss Nippett was buried, and, finding that the grave had no headstone, she ordered one.  To Mrs Scatchard and her niece she made handsome presents, and gave Mr Napper a finely bound edition of the hundred best books; whilst Mr and Mrs Trivett were made comfortable for life.  Mavis was unable to find two people she was anxious to help.  These were the “Permanent” and the “Lil” of Halverton Street days.  One day, clad in shabby garments, she went to Mrs Gowler’s address at New Cross to get news of the former.  But the house of evil remembrance was to let; a woman at the next door house told Mavis that Mrs Gowler had been arrested and had got ten years for the misdeeds which the police had at last been able to prove.  Mavis went on a similar errand to Halverton Street, to find that Lil had long since left and that there was no one in the house who knew of her whereabouts.  She had been lost in one of the many foul undercurrents of London life.  The one remaining person Mavis wished to benefit was Miss Toombs.  For a long time, this independent-minded young woman resisted the offers that Mavis made her.  One day, however, when Miss Toombs was laid up with acute indigestion, Mavis prevailed on her to accept a handsome cheque which would enable her to do what she pleased for the rest of her life, without endangering the happiness she derived from tea, buttered toast, and hot-water bottles in winter.

“It was unkind of you not to take it before,” said Mavis.