Mr. Kent could not tell within a day or two—lawyers never can, you know. But he engaged to prepare them very early in the next week, in time for Mr. Lyon to embark upon his voyage on the following Saturday.
And so Lawyer Kent went on his way to Baltimore musing:
“He is a splendid fellow, and she is a sweet young creature; they are an admirable pair! What the mischief can have come between them?—ah, the devil, of course!”
Mr. Kent was as good as his word. On Tuesday morning, he placed the requisite deeds in the hands of Mr. Lyon, who, in the presence of several witnesses and before a notary-public, formally signed, sealed, and delivered them again into the custody of the lawyer.
And, on Thursday evening, Mr. Kent arrived at Old Lyon Hall, to announce the successful termination of the whole business, and to congratulate his client on her accession to one of the largest fortunes in America.
“And I think, my dear,” whispered General Lyon to his protégée, “that you cannot better show your sense of these gentlemen’s zeal in your cause than by making them your agents in the management of your financial affairs.”
“I perfectly agree with you, my dear uncle. Tell them so, please,” replied Drusilla.
And so it was arranged; and Mr. Kent went on his way rejoicing, “having made a good thing of it.”
“And Alick has signed over to me all his material interest in my fortune! Well, I know he did not need any part of it; but he would have been welcome, oh, so heartily welcome, to the whole. At most, I only should have wanted enough to buy back dear Cedarwood,” said Drusilla to her gossip, Anna, as they sat together in the nursery.
“He did right. How could he have done otherwise under the circumstances? Even you, with all your loving faith, must have despised him if, after forsaking you, he had taken any part of your fortune,” said Anna.