“It has this to say to it! No action for breach of promise can lie against you while you are a minor!”
There was a shocked silence. Mr. Liversedge broke it. “It is perfectly true,” he said. “Sir, I shall not conceal from you that this has been a blow to me. How I came to overlook such a circumstance I know not, but that I did overlook it I shall not attempt to deny. I am chagrined—I never thought to be so chagrined!”
“Oh, Gideon, I wish I had told you!” gasped Matthew. “None of this dreadful business need have been at all!”
“No, it need not,” said Gideon. “But why the devil didn’t Gilly come to me?”
“It was because he was tired of being told always what he should do next,” explained Matthew. “He said here was something he might do for himself, and that it would be an adventure, and that if he could not outwit a fellow like this Liversedge he must be less of a man than he believed!”
Mr. Liversedge bowed his head in approval. “Very true! And outwit me he did, sir. Yes, yes, I am not ashamed to I own it! I was quite rolled-up. Your noble relative obtained possession of your letters, Mr. Ware, and without expending as much as a guinea on the business. You have every reason to feel pride in his achievement, I assure you.”
Both the Wares turned to stare at him. Gideon said: “How did he outwit you?”
Mr. Liversedge sighed, and shook his head. “Had he not appeared to me to he so young, and so innocent, I should not have fallen a victim to such a trick! But my suspicions were lulled. I thought no ill. Taking advantage, I regret to say, of my trust, he drove a heavy table against my legs, as I was in the act of rising, and felled me to the ground, where, striking my head against the fender of the grate, I lost consciousness. By the time I had regained my senses, his Grace had made good his escape, bearing with him, to my chagrin, the fatal letters.”
A slow smile curled Gideon’s uncompromising mouth. “Adolphus!” he said softly. “Well done, my little one! So here was your dragon!”
“Drove the table against your legs?” repeated Matthew. “Gilly? Well, by God!”