They had been the solicitors of the Hays, of Haymore, for many years, and were, of course, deeply interested in all that concerned them.
Much correspondence had already passed between the London and New York firms, bearing on the recent appearance of the undoubted lawful heir of Haymore in opposition to the fraudulent pretender, so that there was already a perfect understanding of the case established between them.
It was now a little after business hours, but Mr. Will Walling felt sure that, having received his dispatch announcing his visit, one or both members of the firm would remain at their office to receive him.
In fact, he found both gentlemen there. The case was considered much too important to admit of neglect or indifference, and being after office hours, they were quite at leisure to give their whole attention to the business in hand.
Mr. Walling spent four hours with Messrs. Sothoron & Drummond, and together the three gentlemen went through the mass of documents, all together constituting indisputable, immovable proof of Randolph Hay’s identity as the only lawful heir of Haymore.
I will not weary my reader with any of the lawyers’ talk, but hasten on to its results.
It was nearly nine o’clock when the three gentlemen, having brought their interview to an end, left the office together and separated, to seek their several destinations—Sothoron to his home on Clapham Common, Drummond to his club on Regent Street, and Walling to his friends at Morley’s.
Mr. Will found Ran and Judy seated at the front window of their parlor, in which the gas had been turned down low to enable them to see out into the street, for they were gazing down on the panorama of the night scene on Trafalgar Square.
“Well!” exclaimed Mr. Will, as he entered the room, flung his hat across the floor and dropped into a large easy-chair near the two young people, “are you ready to set out for Yorkshire and Haymore by the first mail train to-morrow morning?”
“What do you mean?” inquired Ran, looking around, rather startled by the abrupt entrance and action of his lawyer, while Judy also wheeled her chair and raised her eyes inquiringly to the first speaker.