"O father, dear father, thank you, thank you for saying that," exclaimed Sybil, fervently kissing his hands. "And now that you have told me your mind, what do you want me to do, my darling?" he inquired, returning her caresses. "Oh, dear father! an old man like you must know! I do want you to give Lyon help and encouragement as you know best how to do it, without wounding his pride. You sympathize with his political principles; let him know that you do. You admire his character; let him feel that you do." "What else?" "This. Since old Mr. Godwin died you have had no agent for your large estate, and its accounts must be falling into disorder, Lyon is a lawyer, you know. Offer him the agency of your estate, with a liberal salary." "Upon my word, I never thought of that before. Here for three months I have been thinking whom I could get as an agent, and much as I esteemed that young man I never once thought of applying to him! But the fact is, I never looked upon him in the light of a business man, but only as a brilliant barrister, and eloquent pleader." "Yet, father, you know he _must_ be a good business man to have collected such great stores of statistics as he has always at command." "Well, my love, I will go to-day and offer him the agency. Now what next?" "He was too poor and too proud to come before, but as your agent, father, you must bring him often to the house on business." "And then?" "You must leave the rest to me." Thus it was that the young lawyer became the agent for the great Black Valley Manor. This agency included not only the management of the revenues from several rich farms, but also those from the stone quarries, iron mines, and the water mill at the head of the valley, and also from the real estate in the village at the foot, all of which was included in the Black Valley Manor. The new agent was frequently called to Black Hall, where he was always received with the utmost courtesy. And as the acquaintance between the proprietor and the agent ripened into intimacy, a deep and strong attachment grew between them. "Youth never showed itself wiser or better than in this young man," murmured Mr. Berners to himself. "Age was never so venerable and beautiful as in this old man," thought John Lyon Howe to himself. The old man loaded the young one with many marks of his esteem and affection. The young man returned these with the warmest gratitude and highest reverence.