"The whole strength of his case lies in this forged paper. Let me get possession of that, and he can do nothing."
"I see."
"Now you know where he boards, probably?"
"Yes."
"Can"t you contrive to get access to his room, search for the paper--very likely it is in his trunk--and, when obtained, bring it to me? I am ready to give a hundred dollars for it."
"I don"t know," said Maurice, slowly. "I am afraid it would be difficult."
"But by no means impossible. I will give you ten dollars now, and that you may keep, whether you succeed or not. If you succeed, you shall have a hundred dollars besides. Do you agree?"
As he spoke he held a ten-dollar bill out temptingly. It was a temptation that Maurice Walton, with but fifty cents in his pocket, could not resist. He wanted money sorely. Besides, he had a chance to win a hundred dollars additional, and this would enable him to gratify several wishes which had hitherto seemed unattainable.
"I will do my best," he said, holding out his hand for the money.
There was a quiet flash of triumph in the cold, gray eye of his older companion, as he placed the bill in Maurice"s hands.
"I need not caution you to be secret," he said.
"I shall not say a word to any one," answered young Walton.
James Grey rubbed his hands gleefully, as Walton left the room.
"The scheme promises well," he soliloquized. "My worthy nephew, I may checkmate you yet."
CHAPTER XXII.
THE THEFT OF THE PAPER.
Had Maurice Walton been a youth of strict honor, he could not have been induced to undertake the theft of the paper, however large the sum offered him. But his principles were not strict enough to interfere, and the hope of injuring Gilbert, whom he envied, and therefore hated, made him the more willing to engage in the enterprise.
"A hundred dollars will be very acceptable," he said to himself, complacently. "They couldn"t be more easily earned. Now, how shall I set about it?"
Maurice came to the conclusion that Gilbert kept the paper in his trunk. This seemed to be the most natural depository to be selected. Of course, then, he must contrive some means of opening the trunk. He thought of pretending that he had lost the key of his own trunk, and asking Gilbert for the loan of his. But that would draw suspicion upon him when the paper was missed. Another plan, which he finally adopted, was to go to a locksmith, and ask for a variety of trunk keys, on the same pretext, in order to try, with the liberty of returning those that didn"t suit. This, and other points necessary to success in his scheme, were determined upon by Maurice, and will be made known to the reader as he proceeds.
A little before ten the next morning, Maurice left his place in the store, and, going to Mr. Ferguson, asked permission to go home.
"For what reason?" asked his employer.
"I have a terrible headache," said Maurice, looking as miserable as possible.
"Certainly you may go," said Mr. Ferguson, who was a kind-hearted man, and who didn"t doubt the statement.
"If I feel better I will come back in the afternoon," said Maurice.
"Don"t come unless you feel able. I know what the headache is, and I don"t want you to come, unless you feel quite able to attend to business."
"Thank you, sir."
"Now for business," said Maurice, as he found himself in the street.
"I"ll rest my poor head by a ride on the horse-cars."
First, however, he entered a small shop near by, over which was a sign, M. FRINK, Locksmith.
The locksmith, wearing a dirty ap.r.o.n, looked up from his work.
"I have lost the key to my trunk," said Maurice.
"I can make you another," said the locksmith.
"I want to open it now. Haven"t you got some already made?"
"Plenty. But how will you know the size?"
"Give me half a dozen to try, and I will bring back those that don"t suit."
"All right. Is your lock a large one?"
"Not very. About medium," said Maurice, hazarding a guess.
The locksmith picked out eight keys, of various sizes, and handed them to Maurice.
"I will bring them back safe," said he.
"All right. I don"t think you"ll run off with them."
"Now for it," said Maurice. "I think one of these keys must fit."
He took the cars to a point only two squares distant from Gilbert"s boarding-house, and walked toward it. But, in order to change his appearance, he applied to his upper lip a false black mustache, which he had bought for the purpose, and, a little discomposed by his dishonest intentions, walked up the steps and rang the bell. It was opened directly by a servant.
"I am a friend of Mr. Grey"s," said Maurice, putting on a bold face.
"He told me I might get his opera-gla.s.s."
This he said in an easy, confident manner, which imposed upon the girl.
"Do you know his room?" she asked.
"Yes, I know it," said Maurice. "Never mind about going up."
The servant went back to her work, and Maurice, his heart beating fast, went up stairs on his dishonest errand. He had no difficulty in getting into the room, for the door was not locked. The trunks were kept in the bed-chamber, and he therefore went thither at once. One of the trunks was a handsome one, made of sole-leather. This belonged to Mordaunt.
The other was plainer and smaller, and no doubt belonged to Gilbert.
Maurice got down on his knees and began to try his keys. The first did not fit, neither did the second, nor the third. Indeed, it was only the last that proved to be the right one. Maurice had feared the failure of his plans, when success came.