"Exactly so!"
"Fool! do you expect me to believe such a miserable rigmarole as this?"
"I hope you will, for it is strictly true," returned the attorney, convincingly.
Jaspar looked incredulous, and resorted to the brandy-bottle, which seemed to bear the same relation to him that the oracle of Delphi did to the ancient Greeks.
"You do not think me capable of _inventing_ such a story, I trust," said De Guy, seriously.
"Ha! ha! ha! you have joined the church, haven"t you, since we met last?"
"I see, sir, you think, because I a.s.sisted you in your plans, that I have no honor, no conscience, no humanity. Why, sir, what I have done for you was only a duty which my religion demanded of me."
"Your creed must be an original one!" replied Jaspar, with a sickly laugh.
"It _is_ an original one. You thought yourself better ent.i.tled to your brother"s property than this giddy girl. So did I; and it was my duty to see justice done. A matter of conscience with me, upon my honor."
"Enough of this!" said Jaspar, sternly, for a joke soon grew stale with him.
"Be it so; but remember the story is true."
"And you did me the favor to blow up the steamer!" sneered Jaspar.
"At the risk of my own life, I did. I bribed the firemen to crowd on the steam, and the engineers to keep down the safety-valve,--all under the excitement of a race, though with special reference to your interest."
"Was this part of your creed, too?"
"Certainly," and the attorney launched out into a dissertation of theology and kindred topics, with which we will not trouble the reader.
Jaspar heard it not, for he was busy in considerations of a less metaphysical character. He was thinking of his present position, and of the overseer, whose step he heard on the veranda.
"I see," said he, interrupting De Guy, "you have been my friend."
This remark was the result of his deliberations. He might need the services of the attorney.
"I expect my overseer on business in a moment," continued he, "and I should like to see you again, after he has gone. May I trouble you to step into this room for a few moments?"
"Certainly," replied De Guy, who was congratulating himself on his success in conciliating the "bear of Bellevue," as he styled him among his boon companions.
Jaspar closed the door upon the attorney, and was in the act of lighting a cigar, when Dalhousie entered. The overseer endeavored to discover in the countenance of his employer some indications of his motive in sending for him; but Jaspar maintained a perfect indifference, which defeated his object, Neither spoke for several moments; but at last the overseer, embarra.s.sed by the silence, said,
"You sent for me, Mr. Dumont?"
"I did," said Jaspar, suddenly, as though the words had roused him from his profound abstraction; "I did; one of my keys is missing, so that I cannot open the drawer. You arranged its contents, I believe."
"Yes," said Dalhousie, fl.u.s.tered, for he was not so deeply skilled in the arts of deception as to carry them on without some compunction; "but I left the key in the drawer."
"You see It is not there," said Jaspar, fixing his sharp gray eye upon the overseer.
"It is not," said Dalhousie, advancing to the secretary. "Probably it has fallen upon the floor--" and he stooped down to look for it.
Jaspar watched him in silence, as he felt about the floor. The overseer was in no haste to find it, though his eyes were fixed on it all the time.
"Didn"t you put it into your pocket, by mistake?" suggested Jaspar.
"Certainly not," replied Dalhousie; "here it is;" and, picking up the key, he handed it to Jaspar. "I was certain I left it here."
Jaspar felt much relieved.
"Sorry to have troubled you," said he, "but I wanted a paper--" and he rose and opened the drawer, as if in quest of it.
"No trouble at all," returned the overseer. "Now that I am here, a few words with you would be particularly agreeable to me."
Jaspar"s curiosity was instantly excited, and, forgetting the paper and De Guy, he requested him to proceed immediately with his business.
"It is a matter of much interest to both of us," continued Dalhousie, embarra.s.sed by the difficulties of his position.
"Well, sir, go on," said Jaspar, impatiently, for the overseer"s hesitation had rather a bad odor.
"I may as well speak bluntly and to the point," stammered Dalhousie, still reluctant to state his business.
"Why don"t you? I am not a sentimental girl, that you need make a long preface to your oration."
"I will, sir. Every man is in duty bound to consider his own interest--"
"Certainly, by all means. Go on."
"In regard to your relations with your niece--" and Dalhousie paused again.
Jaspar"s reddening face and the curl upon his lip indicated the volcano of pa.s.sion which would soon burst within him.
"Proceed, sir," said he, struggling to be calm.
"In regard to your relations with your niece, you are aware that I am somewhat acquainted with them."
"I am; I hope you do not know too much for your own good. You know I am not to be trifled with."
"I am not concerned for my own safety," replied Dalhousie, a little stung by the implied threat of Jaspar; "but I wish to provide for your safety. I intend to go to France."
"I do not prevent you."
"I lack the means."
"And you wish me to furnish them?"
"I do."
"And how large a sum do you need?"