OVER ten days had elapsed since Mr. Lyon answered the letter of
Fanny Markland, and he was still awaiting a reply.
"This is a risky sort of business," so his friend had written him.
"I succeeded in getting your letter into the young lady's hands, but
not without danger of discovery. For whole hours I loitered in the
grounds of Mr. Markland, and was going to leave for the city without
accomplishing my errand, when I saw Fanny coming in the direction of
the summer-house. After the letter was deposited in the place agreed
upon, and I was making my way off, I almost stumbled over her
father, who had just returned from the city. He saw me, though, of
course, he did not know me, nor suspect my errand. But my evident
desire to avoid observation must have excited some vague suspicions
in his mind; for, on reaching a point from which I could observe
without being observed, I saw that he was gazing intently in the
direction I had taken. Then he stepped aside from the road, and
walked towards the grove. But Fanny was a little in advance of him,
and secured the letter. I waited to see him join her, and then
hurried off.
"I tell you again, Lee, this is a risky business. Two days have
passed, and yet there is no answer. I've seen Markland in the city
once since that time. He looked unusually sober, I thought. Perhaps
it was only imagination. You can think so if you please. Take my
advice, and make no further advances in this direction. There is too
much danger of discovery. Markland has paid over ten thousand
dollars to Fenwick, and is to produce as much more this week. He
goes in, you know, for forty thousand. The balance ought to be had
from him as soon as possible. Write to Fenwick to get it without
delay. That is my advice. If you get his treasure, you will have his
heart. Nothing like a money interest to hold a man.
"What I fear is, that the girl has told him all. You were crazy to
say that she could do so if it pleased her. Well, well! We shall
soon see where this wind will drift us. You shall hear from me the
moment I know any thing certain."
Lyon was much disturbed by this letter. He at once wrote to Mr.
Fenwick, suggesting the propriety of getting the whole of Mr.
Markland's investment as early as possible.
"I hear," he said, "that he is somewhat inclined to vacillate. That,
after making up his mind to do a thing, and even after initiative
steps are taken, he is apt to pause, look back, and reconsider.
This, of course, will not suit us. The best way to manage him will
be to get his money in our boat, and then we are sure of him. He is
very wealthy, and can be of great use in the prosecution of our
schemes."
Two or three days more elapsed, and Lyon was getting nervously
anxious, when a letter from Fanny reached him. It was brief, but of
serious import.
"I have revealed all to my mother," it began, "and my heart feels
lighter. She promises to keep our secret one week, and no longer.
Then all will be revealed to father. I gained this much time in
order that you might have an opportunity to write and tell him every
thing yourself. This, it seems to me, will be the best way. No time
is to be lost. The week will expire quite as soon as your letter can
reach him. So pray, Mr. Lyon, write at once. I shall scarcely sleep
until all is over."
With an angry imprecation, Lyon dashed this letter on the floor.
"Mad girl!" he said; "did I not warn her fully of the consequences?
Write to her father? What shall I write? Tell him that I have
deceived him! That when he thought me far away I was sitting beside
his daughter, and tempting her to act towards him with concealment,
if not duplicity! Madness! folly!"
"I was a fool," he communed with himself in a calmer mood, "to put
so much in jeopardy for a woman! Nay, a girl--a mere child. But what
is to be done? Three days only intervene between this time and the
period at which our secret will be made known; so, whatever is to be
done must be determined quickly. Shall I treat the matter with
Markland seriously, or lightly? Not seriously, for that will surely
cause him to do the same. Lightly, of course; for the manner in
which I speak of it will have its influence. But first, I must
manage to get him off to New York, and in the hands of Fenwick. The
larger his actual investment in this business, the more easily the
matter will be settled."
So he drew a sheet of paper before him, and wrote:
"MY DEAR MR. MARKLAND:--I have had so much important correspondence
with Mr. Fenwick, our managing agent in New York, consequent on
letters from London and Liverpool by last steamer, that I have been
unable to proceed further than this point, but shall leave
to-morrow. Mr. Fenwick has some very important information to
communicate, and if he has not found time to write you, I would
advise your going on to New York immediately. At best, hurried
business letters give but imperfect notions of things. An hour's
interview with Mr. Fenwick will enable you to comprehend the present
state of affairs more perfectly than the perusal of a volume of
letters. Some new aspects have presented themselves that I
particularly wish you to consider. Mr. Fenwick has great confidence
in your judgment, and would, I know, like to confer with you.
"Do not fail to bring me to the remembrance of Mrs. Markland and
Fanny.
Ever yours,
LEE LYON."
"This for to-day's mail," said he, is he folded the letter. "If it
does the work it is designed to accomplish, time, at least, will be
gained. Now for the harder task."
Three times he tried to address Mr. Markland again, and as often
tore up his letter. A fourth trial brought something nearer the
mark.
"I'm afraid," he wrote, "a certain hasty act of mine, of which I
ought before to have advised you, may slightly disturb your
feelings. Yet don't let it have that effect, for there is no
occasion whatever. Soon after leaving for the South, I wrote you to
go to New York. The next mail brought me letters that rendered such
a visit unnecessary, and fearing a communication by mail might not
reach you promptly, I returned rapidly, and hastened to Woodbine
Lodge to see you. Approaching your dwelling, I met Fanny, and
learned from her that you had left for New York. Foolishly, as I now
see it, I desired your daughter to keep the fact a secret for a
short period, fearing lest you might not clearly comprehend my
reason for returning. I wished to explain the matter myself. This
trifling affair, it seems, has made Fanny very unhappy. I am really
sorry. But it is over now, and I trust her spirits will rise again.
You understand me fully, and can easily see why I might naturally
fall into this trifling error.
"I wrote you yesterday, and hope you acted upon my suggestion. I
proceed South in an hour. Every thing looks bright."