'I've got to take a telegram to the station,' said he. 'Take me,' said Molly. 'Likely! And what ud your aunt say?' 'She won't know,' said Molly, 'and if she does I'll say I made you.' He laughed, and Molly had a splendid ride behind the groom, with her arms so tight round his waistcoat that he could hardly breathe. When they got to the station a porter lifted her down, and the groom let her send off the telegram. It was to Uncle Toodlethwaite, and it said: 'Please come down at once urgent business most important don't fail bring Bates.--MARIA CARRUTHERS.' So Molly knew something very out of the way had happened, and she was glad that her aunt should have something to think of besides her, because the White House would have been a very nice place to stay at if Aunt Maria had not so often remembered to do her duty by you. [Illustration: 'Molly had a splendid ride behind the groom.'--Page 134] In the afternoon Uncle Toodlethwaite came, and he and Aunt Maria and a person in black with a shining black bag--Molly supposed he was Mr. Bates, who was to be brought by Uncle Toodlethwaite--sat in the dining-room with the door shut. Molly went to help the kitchenmaid shell peas, in the little grass courtyard in the middle of the house. They sat on the kitchen steps, and Molly could hear the voices of Clements and the housekeeper through the open window of the servants' hall. She heard, but she did not think it was eavesdropping, or anything dishonourable, like listening at doors. They were talking quite out loud. 'And a dreadful blow it will be to us all, if true,' the housekeeper was saying. '_She_ thinks it's true,' said Clements; 'cried her eyes out, she did, and wired for her brother-in-law once removed.' 'Meaning her brother's brother-in-law--I see. But I don't know as I really understand the ins and outs of it even yet.' 'Well, it's like this,' said Clements: 'missis an' her brother they used to live here along of their uncle, and he had a son, a regular bad egg he was, and the old master said he shouldn't ever have a penny of his money. He said he'd leave it to Mr. Carruthers--that's missis's brother, see?' 'That means father,' thought Molly. 'And he'd leave missis the house and enough money to keep it up in style. He was a warm man, it seems. Well, then the son's drowned at sea--ship went down and all aboard perished. Just as well, because when the old man died they couldn't find no will. So it all comes to missis and her brother, there being no other relations near or far, and they divides it the same as the old man had always said he wished. You see what I mean?' 'Near enough,' said the housekeeper; 'and then?'