1810, when, if no person appeared, or could be found after sufficient notice, to claim the moiety so devised, then a certain sum, calculating the principal and interest of his debt to Col. Effingham, was to be paid to the heirs at law of the Effingham family, and the bulk of his estate was to be conveyed in fee to his daughter, or her heirs.
The tears fell from the eyes of the young man, as he read this undeniable testimony of the good faith of Marmaduke, and his bewildered gaze was still fastened on the paper, when a sweet voice, that thrilled on every nerve, spoke, near him, saying,
"Do you yet doubt us, Oliver?"
"I have never doubted you!" cried the youth, recovering his recollection and his voice, as he sprung to seize the hand of Elizabeth; "no, not one moment has my faith in you wavered."
"And my father—"
"God bless him!"
"I thank thee, my son," said the Judge, exchanging a warm pressure of the hand with the youth; "but we have both erred; thou hast been too hasty, and I have been too slow. One half of my estates shall be thine as soon as they can be conveyed to thee; and if what my suspicions tell me, be true, I suppose the other must follow speedily." He took the hand which he held, and united it with that of his daughter, and motioned towards the door to the Major.
"I telt you vat, gal!" said the old German, good humouredly; "if I vast, ast I vast, ven I servit mit his grantfader on ter lakes, ter lazy tog shouln't vin ter prize as for nottin."
"Come, come, old Fritz," cried the Judge; "you are seventy, not seventeen; Richard waits for you with a bowl of egg-nog, in the hall."
"Richart! ter duyvel!" exclaimed the other,
