Mr. Kent stayed two days at Old Lyon Hall, and then, primed with instructions and with a letter to Alexander, he left for Washington and Baltimore. It happened just as General Lyon had predicted. Alexander, sulking at his apartments in one of the most fashionable hotels in the Capital, received the lawyer’s visit and his uncle’s letter. He was immeasurably astonished at the announcement of his wife’s inheritance of an enormous fortune. At first, indeed, he listened to the intelligence with scornful incredulity; but when convinced beyond all doubt of the truth, his amazement was unbounded. He had never before heard of the California billionaire, and could not now realize the fact that poor Drusilla was a great heiress. He scarcely succeeded in concealing from the lawyer the excess of his amazement. He was, literally, almost “stunned” by the news. The lawyer’s time was precious; so, barely giving Mr. Alexander a minute to recover his lost breath, and acting upon General Lyon’s instructions he proposed to the husband to resign the whole of her newly-inherited wealth to his discarded wife. Alexander arose, a proud disdain curling his lips and flashing from his eyes, and answered haughtily: “Unquestionably, sir! Prepare the proper papers with your utmost despatch. I had intended to sail for Europe in Saturday’s steamer, but I will forfeit my passage and wait here until these deeds shall be executed; for I could no more bear to hold an hour’s interest in her inheritance than I could bear any other sort of ignominy. How soon can the documents be ready?” Mr. Kent could not tell within a day or two—lawyers never can, you know. But he engaged to prepare them very early in the next week, in time for Mr. Lyon to embark upon his voyage on the following Saturday. And so Lawyer Kent went on his way to Baltimore musing: “He is a splendid fellow, and she is a sweet young creature; they are an admirable pair! What the mischief can have come between them?—ah, the devil, of course!” Mr. Kent was as good as his word. On Tuesday morning, he placed the requisite deeds in the hands of Mr. Lyon, who, in the presence of several witnesses and before a notary-public, formally signed, sealed, and delivered them again into the custody of the lawyer. And, on Thursday evening, Mr. Kent arrived at Old Lyon Hall, to announce the successful termination of the whole business, and to congratulate his client on her accession to one of the largest fortunes in America. “And I think, my dear,” whispered General Lyon to his protégée, “that you cannot better show your sense of these gentlemen’s zeal in your cause than by making them your agents in the management of your financial affairs.” “I perfectly agree with you, my dear uncle. Tell them so, please,” replied Drusilla. And so it was arranged; and Mr. Kent went on his way rejoicing, “having made a good thing of it.”