The lawyer bowed and withdrew.
CHAPTER XXXVII
ERNEST COMES INTO HIS OWN
On Tuesday Bolton returned with Ernest. Two hours were spent in conference with Stephen Ray. The latter fought hard, but yielded at last. He understood the strength of his opponent’s case.
Ernest consented to receive the estate as it was bequeathed to his father, without any demand for back revenues. Whatever Stephen Ray had accumulated besides, he was allowed to retain.
As this amounted to a hundred thousand dollars, Ray felt that it might have been worse. Had he not been dissuaded by Bolton, Ernest would have consented to share the estate with the usurper, but the lawyer represented that this would be condoning the wrong done to his father.
In a month the whole matter was settled, and Stephen Ray removed to Chicago, where he had business interests.
“But what shall I do with this large house?” asked Ernest. “I don’t want to live here.”