He shook his head while a few tears silently coursed down his furrowed cheek. "You forget that I _made_ them miserable."
"Well, then," she continued, "now you have an opportunity to turn their grief into joy, and to render them very happy;" and looking at the portrait opposite, upon which the sun was shining, "how happy she would have been to have you perform so generous an act."
There appeared to be a dreadful conflict between his incrusted covetousness and the benevolence which by the grace of God was springing up in his soul. Lucy came and kneeled by Emily's side holding her father's hand caressingly in hers. "Well, daughter," said he affectionately, "Rose farm is yours, give it to whom you please."
The young advocates were overjoyed at their success, and Lucy kissed her father repeatedly, while Emily warmly pressed his hand. In the peace and joy which filled his breast, Squire Lee for the first time realized the truth of the inspired declaration, "It is more blessed to give than to receive."
Lucy readily promised to keep the whole transaction a profound secret until the proper moment should arrive for the denouement. Emily also promised with the assistance of her brother to arrange all the business.
I had not time last evening to finish Emily's story. Her frequent conversations with Frank were connected with the legal transfer of the estate. How wise I thought myself in having seen through their plot!
At length, all was concluded. The legal instruments were prepared and executed, conveying the property from the Squire to his daughter, and from her to Mrs. Reynolds and her children, reserving the use thereof to Mr. Reynolds, provided he remained true to his pledge of entire abstinence from intoxicating drinks. But in the event of his violating his pledge, the same was to revert to his wife and children.
The family occupying the house, were the next morning notified to leave, as Emily had determined to restore it to its original beauty. The Doctor, however, insisted that I should have the pleasure of giving the furniture, and he put money into her hand for that purpose.
The important day had now arrived for the removal of William and Anna Reynolds to their sweet home, while as yet they knew nothing of the great happiness in store for them. It was for the purpose of carrying me to invite them to Pauline's birth-day party, that Frank had returned. He had left Emily and Lucy busily engaged in setting up the furniture which Cæsar had yesterday carried there. I rode with him to their humble abode, and found Anna sitting at her sewing in rather a disconsolate mood, on account of the continued grief of her husband, at the supposed loss of the cottage.