“If a minor cannot be received as bail, there is no more to be said,” Lucy answered; “else would I prove to you, Miles, that I can be as obstinate as you are yourself.  At all events, I can be a purchaser of jewels, if wanting a few months of my majority; fortunately, I have nearly a year’s income on hand.  You see, Miles,”—­Lucy again blushed brightly, though she smiled—­“what an accountant I am getting to be—­but, I can commence at once by purchasing your pearls.  They are already in my possession for safe keeping, and many is the covetous glance they have received from me.  Those precious pearls!  I think you valued them at three thousand dollars, Miles,” Lucy continued, “and my father will at once pay you that sum on my behalf.  Then send for the lawyer of your persecutor, for I can call him nothing else, and offer to pay that much on his demand provided he will accept my father as bail.  If he be the son of being you fancy him, and so his acts I think prove him to be, he will be glad to accept the offer.”

I was delighted at the readiness of resources this proved in Lucy, nor was the project in the least unlikely to succeed.  Could I get four or five thousand dollars together, I had no doubt Daggett would accept Mr. Hardinge for bail, as it was only as surety for my appearance in court.  That was then required, and no one could really think I would abscond and leave my old guardian in the lurch.  Still, I could not think of thus robbing Lucy.  Left to her own sense of propriety, I well knew she would never dream of investing so large a sum as the pearls were really worth, in ornaments for her person; and the pearls were worth but little more than half the sum she had named.

“This will not do,” I answered, expressing my gratitude with my eyes, “and no more need be said about it.  I cannot rob you, dearest Lucy, because you are so ready to submit to be robbed.  Leave me here a few days, and Mr. Meekly will come to volunteer a plan of setting me free.”

“I have it!” exclaimed Mr. Hardinge, jumping up and seizing his hat.  “Lucy, I’ll be back in fifteen minutes; then we’ll bear Miles off in triumph, to your own house.  Yes, yes, the scheme cannot fail, with a lawyer of any respectability.”

“May I know what it is, dear papa?” Lucy asked, glancing expressively towards me.

“Why, it’s just this.  I’ll go and find the bishop, who’ll do anything to oblige me, and he and I’ll go, in company, to this Mr. Meekly’s office, and pledge our words as divines, that Miles shall appear in court, as the under-sheriff told me would be required, when all will be settled to our heart’s content.  On my way to the bishop’s, I’ll just stop in at Richard Harrison’s office, and take his opinion in the matter.”

“Well, sir, the notion of seeing Richard Harrison is a good one.  He may suggest something in the way of practice that will be useful to us.  If you could step across the way, and get him to pay me a short visit, I should be infinitely obliged to you.  I was about to take his advice on the subject of my insurance when arrested, and I wish that point disposed of.”