The successful party stopped at Mr. Hardwick’s that evening to exchange congratulations.  He, as well as Mildred and Mark, was interested in the lost will; for Mr. Kinloch had mentioned the fact of the unsettled boundary-line, and directed his executors to make a clear title of the disputed tract to the blacksmith.  The shop was his; the boys, at all events, would be undisturbed.  One provision in the will greatly excited Mark’s curiosity.  The notes which he owed to the estate were to be cancelled, and there was an unexplained reference to his uncle Hardwick and to some occurrences of long ago.  Mildred at once recalled to mind her father’s dying words,—­his calling for Mr. Hardwick, and his mention of the cabinet.  She had often thought of her search in its drawers, and of her finding the lock of sunny hair and the dried flower.  And the blacksmith now, when asked, shook his head mournfully, and said, (as he had before,) “Sus-some time; nun-not now!”

CHAPTER XVII.

The next day Mr. Alford came to town and advised Mark to marry forthwith.

“I’ve ben thinkin’ it over,” he said, “and I b’lieve it’s the best thing to be done.  You’ve got a tough customer to deal with, and it may be some trouble to git all the property out of his hands.  But when the heiress is married, her husband can act for her to better advantage.  I guess I’ll speak to Mr. Rook and have the ’fair ’tended to right away.”

Mark submitted the matter to Mildred, who blushed properly, and thought it rather hasty.  But Mr. Alford’s clear reasoning prevailed, and the time was appointed at once.  Mark and Mr. Alford then went to call upon the lawyer.  They entered his office without knocking, and by chance found him busy with the accounts and papers; they were scattered over the table, and he was making computations.  As soon as he was aware of the presence of visitors, he made an effort to slide the documents under some loose sheets of paper; but Mark knew the bold hand at once, and without a word seized the papers and handed them to Mr. Alford.

“Not very p’lite, Square, I know,” said Mr. Alford, “but possession is nine p’ints of the law, as I’ve heerd you say; and as you won’t deny the handwritin’, I s’pose you don’t question my right to these ’ere.”

The rage of Mr. Clamp may be imagined.

“Good mornin’, Square,” said the triumphant executor.  “When we’ve looked over these affairs, we’ll trouble you and the widder that was, to ’count for what the schedool calls for.”

The simple preparations for the wedding were soon made, and the honest, great-hearted farmer had the pleasure of giving away the bride.  It was a joyful, but not a merry wedding; both had passed through too many trials, and had too many recollections.  And the evident decline of Mr. Hardwick made Mark sad and apprehensive.  But he devoutly thanked God, as he clasped his bride to his bosom, for the providence that had brought to him the fulfilment of his dearest hopes.