246 WYLDER'S HJlJVD.
that the topic of their correspondence was, perhaps some
compromise, the subject or the terms of which would not
bear the light.
Lake certainly made two visits to London, one of them
of a week's duration. The attorney being a sharp, long-
headed fellow, who knew very well what buisness was.
knew perfectly well, too, that two or three short letters
might have settled any legitimate business which his gal-
lant friend had in the capital.
But Lake was now married, and under the incantation
whistled over him by the toothless Archdeacon of Mun-
dlebury, had sprung up into a county magnate, and was
worth cultivating, and to be treated tenderly.
Being very gentlemanlike in externals, with a certain
grace amounting very nearly to elegance, and having ap-
plied himself diligently to please the county people, that
proud fraternity, remembering his father's estates, con-
doned his poverty, and took Captain Lake by the hand,
and lifted him into their superb, though not very enter-
taining order.
There were solemn festivities at Brandon, and festive
solemnities at the principal county houses in return.
Though not much of a sportsman, Lake lent himself
handsomely to all the sporting proceedings of the county,
and subscribed in a way worthy of the old renown of
Brandon Hall to all sorts of charities and galas. So he
was getting on very pleasantly with his new neighbors,
and was likely to stand very fairly in that dull, but not
unfriendly society.
About three weeks after this great county marriage,
there arrived, this time from Frankfort, a sharp letter, ad-
dressed to Jos Larkin, Esq. It said: —
"My dear Sir, — I think I have reason to complain.