Mr. Howard held out his hand, and Colonel Yancey grasped it.
"The human heart is a curious thing, Mr. Howard. I was as determined five minutes ago as ever a man was on earth to let you plead until you lost your breath, yet I would never part with my hold on Miss Carolina through owning Guildford. Now, in the twinkling of an eye, I am ready to let you have it. I can't give it to you quickly enough. What price are you willing to pay?"
"Suppose we say the face of the mortgage,--just what it cost you?"
"Ten thousand dollars less, if you say so, Mr. Howard."
"No, I prefer to let you show your gratitude to her in some other way. I will pay what you paid."
"Good! I will have the deed made out to-day. But lose no time in telling her that Guildford is hers. She has won it for herself."
"If I tell her that, do you know what she will say?" asked Mr. Howard.
"No, what?"
"She will give all the credit to her new thought. She told me before I started that I would be successful. As she puts it, 'Nothing is ever lost in Truth.'"
"Then she considers, even though Guildford has been in my power for several years, that it was never really lost to her?"