He took me to his father's cottage; and there, without losing a moment, I drew out Mrs.Vanstone's will.

My object was to secure the only provision for her daughters which it was now possible to make.

Mr.Vanstone having died intestate, a third of his fortune would go to his widow; and the rest would be divided among his next of kin.
As children born out of wedlock, Mr.Vanstone's daughters, under the circumstances of their father's death, had no more claim to a share in his property than the daughters of one of his laborers in the village.
The one chance left was that their mother might sufficiently recover to leave her third share to them, by will, in the event of her decease.

Now you know why I wrote to you to ask for that interview--why I waited day and night, in the hope of receiving a summons to the house.

I was sincerely sorry to send back such an answer to your note of inquiry as I was compelled to write.