Amelius still wondered inwardly how it was that the woman who
had taken charge of the child had failed to discover what appeared to
be known to another person. If he had been aware that Mrs. Sowler's
occupation at the time was the occupation of a "baby-farmer," and that
she had many other deserted children pining under her charge, he might
have easily understood that she was the last person in the world to
trouble herself with a minute examination of any one of the unfortunate
little creatures abandoned to her drunken and merciless neglect. Jervy
had satisfied himself, before he trusted her with his instructions,
that she knew no more than the veriest stranger of any peculiarity in
one or the other of the child's feet.
Interpreting Mrs. Farnaby's last reply to him as an intimation that
their interview was at an end, Amelius took up his hat to go.
"I hope with all my heart," he said, "that what has begun so well will
end well. If there is any service that I can do for you--"
She drew nearer to him, and put her hand gently on his shoulder. "Don't
think that I distrust you," she said very earnestly; "I am unwilling to
shock you--that is all.
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