Sybil held his hands between hers, and with the tears filling her eyes, warmly thanked him for restoring her to her home; though it might be only for a season, she said, it would give her strength to bear all that might come afterwards.
"Heaven grant, my dear Sybil, that your full and perfect acquittal and vindication may come afterwards, as I entirely believe they will. Your trial may not come on at this term of the court, and if not, there will be a considerable interval of time, during which your counsel must busy himself in hunting up evidence in your favor, and if possible tracing this mystery to its solution. Heaven bless you! There, don't weep," said the judge, shaking both her hands, and then relinquishing them.
And they all sat down and talked hopefully over the subject, until the door was again opened and the waiter appeared to announce that the carriage ordered for Mr. Berners was waiting.
"Come, dear Sybil, let us bid good-by to our friends, and go," said Lyon Berners to his wife.
And both took an affectionate and respectful leave of the judge, and were about to do the same by the Pendletons, when the Captain said:
"No; Beatrix and myself prefer to go down to the sidewalk, and take leave of you at the carriage door."
"And the only reason why we do not go all the way home with you is, because we know that you have some mutual explanations to make, and would rather be alone to-day. But to-morrow we shall go to see you, and if you will let me, I will make you a long visit," added Beatrix Pendleton.
"Oh, Beatrix, dearest! always true and brave!" exclaimed Sybil, suddenly kissing the young lady, while Lyon warmly grasped the hand of her brother.
Both the husband and wife understood and appreciated the motives of these devoted friends.
They went down stairs, attended by the Pendletons, Mr. Sheridan, and Raphael.