The lawyer, Mr Shallard, on whom Adam next called, had the character of being an honest man, and having for many years been Sir Reginald Castleton’s adviser, he was universally looked up to and trusted by all classes, except by these litigants who were conscious of the badness of their causes.
He was a tall, thin man, of middle age, with a pleasant expression of countenance. He listened with attention to Adam’s account of his rescuing the little girl, but gave him no greater expectation of discovering her friends than had the mayor.
“You will, I suspect, run a great risk of losing your reward,” he observed; “but if you are unwilling to bear the expense of her maintenance, bring her here, and I will see what can be done for her. Of course, legally, you are entitled to send the foundling to the workhouse.”
“You wouldn’t advise me to do that, I’m thinking,” said Adam.
“No, my friend, but it is my duty to tell you what you have the right to do,” answered the lawyer.
“Well, sir, I’d blush to call myself a man if I did,” replied the fisherman, and without boasting of his intentions, he added that he and his dame were quite prepared to bring up the little girl like a daughter of their own.
When Adam offered the usual fee, the lawyer motioned him to put it into his pocket.
“Friend Halliburt, you are doing your duty to the little foundling, and I will do mine. If her friends can be found, I daresay I shall be repaid, and at all events, when you come to Morbury again you must call and let me know how she thrives.”
Adam, greatly relieved at feeling that, having done what he could towards finding the child’s friends, there was great probability that she would be left with him and his wife, returned home.
“Any chance of hearing of our little maiden’s friends?” asked the dame, on Adam’s return.