I learned the fact from Mrs.Strong herself as we returned from the funeral.
"Dear Stephen has left you nearly 9000 pounds, doctor," she said shaking her head.
Gathering from her manner and this shake of her head that the legacy was not pleasing to her, I hastened to explain that doubtless it was to carry into effect a business arrangement we had come to before I consented to stand for Parliament.
"Ah, indeed," she said, "that makes it worse, for it is only the payment of a debt, not a gift." Not knowing what she could mean, I said nothing.
"Doubtless, doctor, if dear Stephen had been granted time he would have treated you more liberally, seeing how much he thought of you, and that you had given up your profession entirely to please him and serve the party.

That is what he meant when he looked at me before he died, I guessed it from the first, and now I am sure of it.

Well, doctor, while I have anything you shall never want.

Of course, a member of Parliament is a great person, expected to live in a style which would take more money than I have, but I think that if I put my own expenses at 500 pounds a year, which is as much as I shall want, and allow another 1000 pounds for subscriptions to the anti-vaccination societies, the society for preventing the muzzling of dogs, and the society for the discovery of the lost Tribes of Israel, I shall be able to help you to the extent of 1200 pounds a year, if," she added apologetically, "you think you could possibly get along on that." "But, Mrs.Strong," I said, "I have no claim at all upon you." "Please do not talk nonsense, doctor.

Dear Stephen wished me to provide for you, and I am only carrying out his wishes with his own money which God gave him perhaps for this very purpose, that it should be used to help a clever man to break down the tyranny of wicked governments and false prophets." So I took the money, which was paid with the utmost regularity on January the first and June the first in each year.