The period fixed for a trial of the case between them was fast approaching. He continued resolute, and she did not waver from her purpose to defend her good name. The deep interest I took in the case, led me to see Mr. Wallingford often, and make inquiry as to the evidence which could be produced in Mrs. Dewey"s favor, and the probable chances of an honorable result. We both favored a settlement of the difficulty without a trial and its consequent exposure, if that were possible.
But how to prevent this was the difficult question. Finally it was determined to make a copy of the letter found by Mrs. Dewey, and enclose it to her husband, giving him warning at the same time that the original would be produced at the trial.
Nothing was heard in response to this movement, until within a week of the day on which the case was expected to come up, when Mr. Dewey"s lawyer called on Mr. Orton to know if it was still his intention to meet them in open court and resist their application for a divorce. On being a.s.sured that such was their purposes he expressed some regret at the consequent damage to the lady"s reputation, as they had evidence against her of the most conclusive character. Finally he wished to know whether, in case a new ground were taken--one not touching the lady"s good name--any opposition would be made. Mr. Orton said that he would consult his client, and answer the query with as little delay as practicable.
Mrs. Dewey expressed a willingness to remain pa.s.sive, provided no allegations were made in the new bill that even remotely cast a shadow upon her virtue.
But Mr. Wallingford, on taking the matter into further consideration, advised a different course altogether--no less than an application from the other side, on the ground of neglect, ill-treatment, and constructive conjugal infidelity, based on the important letter already referred to. Mrs. Dewey caught eagerly at this suggestion, as soon as it was presented to her. If a divorce were thus obtained, her vindication would be complete.
The ranks of the enemy were thrown into confusion by this diversion. Mr.
Dewey was violent, and threatened most terrible consequences. But when the time set for the case to come up arrived, he failed to appear.
It was from the other side that the next movement came. A divorce was applied for on the part of Mrs. Dewey, in a bill carefully drawn up by Mr. Wallingford. It asked not only for a legal separation from her husband, but for alimony, and the possession of the two remaining children. An answer was filed; but it was of so feeble a character as to amount to scarcely anything in the way of opposition. The chief argument was directed against the claim for alimony. The result was as we had antic.i.p.ated. In the following spring a divorce was granted, and Mrs.
Dewey, with her two children, left the Allen House and returned to her father"s. The maintenance allowed by the court, was one thousand dollars a year for herself, and five hundred a year for each of the children during their minority.
And so closed this exciting drama, begun in weakness, and ending in hopeless disaster. Oh, a few years! How many broken hearts do they close over? How many wrecks of goodly lives do they see scattered among the breakers!
The interposition of Mr. Wallingford, in this case, was so managed as to keep him entirely out of sight, and Mrs. Dewey was never made aware of the fact that he had rendered her a great service.
CHAPTER XXIV.
We did not see a great deal of Mr. Dewey in S----for some months after this. I heard it casually remarked that he was traveling in the South and West, for a part of the time, on business. The large interests of his firm involved in the two mills, however, made his presence necessary among us, and late in the fall he came back, and remained through the winter residing at the Allen House.
In the spring a rumor got afloat that Mr. Dewey was soon to be married.
A lady in New York was mentioned; the same, it was said, to whom the letter found by Mrs. Dewey was addressed. A few signs of renovation at the Allen House gave confirmation of this rumor, which at length a.s.sumed a more positive shape.
The intimacy between Mrs. Wallingford and Constance, had grown into a close interior friendship, and scarcely a week pa.s.sed that an evening was not spent by them together, sometimes at our house, and sometimes at Ivy Cottage. Mr. Wallingford had developed into a man after my own heart; and so I shared, when professional engagements allowed, in the enjoyment of these pleasant seasons.
One evening Mr. and Mrs. Wallingford came round to spend an hour with us. I was happily at leisure. Conversation naturally falls into the current of pa.s.sing events, and on this occasion, the approaching marriage of Mr. Dewey came naturally into the field of topics. This led to a review of the many strange circ.u.mstances connected with Mrs.
Wallingford"s presence in S----, and naturally, to an inquiry from my wife as to the present position of the property left by Captain Allen.
"What about this young Garcia?" said Constance, addressing Mr.
Wallingford. "I haven"t heard of him for some time."
"He is at school yet, I believe," replied Mr. Wallingford, not showing much interest in the matter.
"He must be nearly of age," said I.
"About twenty, if his years were correctly given."
"He will come into the possession of a handsome property," I remarked.
"Yes, if it can be found by the time he is ready to receive it."
"Can be found! I don"t comprehend you, Mr. Wallingford? Do you mean to question the integrity of the men who are executors to the estate?"
"No. But, they have embarked in the same vessel with an unscrupulous villain--so I regard Ralph Dewey--and have, as far as I can see, given the rudder into his hands. If he do not wreck them on some dangerous coast, or sunken rock, it will be more from good fortune than anything else."
"He is partner in a very wealthy firm," said I.
"The standing of Floyd, Lawson, Lee & Co., is, you know, undoubted. He can"t wreck out friends Bigelow and Floyd, without ruining them also."
"I was in New York a few months ago, on business," Mr. Wallingford replied, "and it so happened, that I heard the firm of which Dewey is a partner spoken of. Among other remarks, was this: "They are thought to be very much extended.""
"What is the meaning of that?" asked Mrs. Wallingford.
"It is understood in business circles," replied her husband, "to mean, that a house is doing too much business for the amount of capital employed, and that it has issued, in consequence, a large amount of paper. Any very heavy losses to a firm in this condition might prove disastrous."
"Too much extended?" said I, thoughtfully, some new impressions forming themselves in my mind.
"Yes, that was the opinion held by the individual I refer to; and he was not one to speak carelessly on so grave a matter."
"If the house of Floyd, Lawson, Lee, & Co. should go down," I remarked, "there will be sad work in S----."
"There will, without any doubt," replied Mr. Wallingford.
"The executors to the Allen estate might find themselves in a most unfortunate position," said I.
"Such a position as I would not be in, for all the world. Any thing but dishonor!"
"How dishonor?" asked Constance.
"The whole estate would be, I fear, involved."
"They gave security," said I.
"But the sureties are not worth a tenth part of the sum for which they stand responsible. The court acted with a singular want of discretion in appointing them."
"You don"t mean to have us infer that Judge Bigelow and Squire Floyd have used the funds of this estate for their own purposes, to any great extent?"
"I would not care to say this out of doors, Doctor, but that is just my opinion of the matter as it now stands. Dewey is guardian to the heir, and would favor, rather than oppose, such a use of the funds."
"It might be just so much in favor of the heir," remarked Mrs.
Wallingford, "if two-thirds of the property had disappeared by the time he reached his majority; for, from all that I have heard of him, he is not likely to become a man fitted to use large wealth either to his own or any body else"s advantage. He was low born and low bred, in the worst sense of the words; and I fear that no education will change his original quality, or greatly modify his early bias. So while the wasting of his substance is a great wrong in the abstract, it may be a real blessing to him. Events in this life work out strangely to our human eyes, yet there is a Providence in them that ever educes good from evil."
"If we could always believe that," said I, "how tranquilly might we pa.s.s through life! How clearly would our eyes see through the darkest clouds, and rest upon the silver lining!"
"Is it not so? Does not G.o.d"s providence follow us in the smallest things of our lives? Do we take a step that falls outside of his cognizance? We have only to look back, to be a.s.sured of this. We may walk on tranquilly, Doctor, for, as sure as we live, no evil can befall us that does not have its origin within our own spirits. All the machinations of our most bitter enemies will come to naught, if we keep our hearts free from guile. They may rob us of our earthly possessions; but even this G.o.d will turn to our greater gain."
Mrs. Wallingford spoke with a charming enthusiasm.
"With such a confidence," said my wife, "one is richer than if he had the wealth of an Astor."
"And with this great advantage," replied Mrs. Wallingford, "that he may enjoy the whole of his possessions. Moth and rust never corrupt them; and no man can take them away."