A CONSULTATION.
Mr. Sharp was seated in his office. A complacent smile played over his
features. Perhaps he was thinking of the adroit manner in which he had
secured one hundred dollars of the sum intrusted to him for Robert Ford.
The bottle and glass, on the table before him, testified that his
present occupation could hardly be considered of a professional
character.
While Mr. Sharp was holding up the glass before him, and admiring the
rich warm tint of its contents, Lewis Rand quietly opened the door of
the office and walked in. Had Mr. Sharp been consulted, he would prefer
to have been forewarned of the visit.
“Business driving as ever,” remarked Lewis, in his dry sarcastic way,
taking in at a quick glance the scene before him.
“Well, yes,” said Mr. Sharp, in some embarrassment, putting down his
glass, its contents untasted.
It may be remarked, that whenever Mr. Sharp was perplexed, it was his
habit to run his hands vigorously through his blushing locks, till they
stood upon his head erect, and bristled like so many porcupine quills.
By the time this was well over his faculties returned, and “Richard was
himself again.” To this he had recourse on the present occasion,
immediately after which he resumed his usual air of easy assurance.
“I am, as you see,” he remarked affably, “taking my little symposium, in
humble imitation of the ancient Greeks and Romans,—‘Champagne,’ as
somebody has said, ‘is admirably calculated to clear cobwebs from the
brain.’”
“In that case,” dryly returned his client, who could not resist the
temptation of a hit at his coadjutor, “I advise you by all means to try
it.”
“Truly,” replied Mr. Sharp, who was dimly conscious of the covert
sarcasm, but deemed it politic not to notice it directly, “there is no
profession that racks the brain like mine, sir. The mightiest intellects
of ancient as well as of modern times——”
Mr. Sharp here assumed a standing posture, and was about to pronounce a
eulogy upon the different great men who had, during the last twenty
centuries, graced the profession which he adorned.
But the lawyer was saved the trouble of proceeding, by the expression of
a wish on the part of Lewis to attend to business.
“Certainly, by all means,” said Mr. Sharp, briskly resuming his seat,
and drawing before him a sheet of blank paper. “Business before
pleasure, or rather, with me, business is pleasure.”
“I have, as you know,” Lewis commenced, “lent the sum of three hundred
dollars to Robert Ford, through your agency.”
“And very liberal it was in you, I am sure,” said Mr. Sharp, with
benignant approval.
“By no means. I never professed to be a philanthropist, and I freely
acknowledge that in this act I was influenced by any but benevolent
motives. It was done solely with a view to promote my own interests.”
Here he paused; and Mr. Sharp, while waiting for a further explanation,
rubbed his hands and nodded genially, as if to indicate how thoroughly
he indorsed the views of his principal.
“I need not remind you,” continued Lewis, not heeding this little
manifestation, “of how great importance it is to me that Robert Ford,
who is the only obstacle between me and his father’s fortune, should be
kept entirely out of the way of any possibility of meeting his father.
Such an encounter fortunately is not very probable, since neither is
aware of the other’s presence in the city. When, however I consider how
trifling a chance, such for instance as a glance at a Directory, might
lead to that knowledge, I feel more and more how essential it is to my
interests that some decisive step should be taken. I may say in
confirmation of this, that my uncle, whose health is in a very critical
state, has conceived a fancy, Heaven knows how, that my cousin is still
alive, notwithstanding the evidence of his death in Chicago, which I
placed in his hands.”
“That is awkward.”
“Yes, it is very awkward, especially as he has insisted on my drawing up
an advertisement for this precious cousin of mine, and having it
inserted in the daily papers.”
“And you have done so?”
“Not I. It would be suicidal. I drew up the advertisement, however, as
he requested, and he supposes that it has been inserted.”
Mr. Sharp surveyed Lewis with a glance of approval. It was a tribute to
superior rascality.
“Now I will explain to you,” pursued Lewis, “why I have lent money to
Robert Ford. My uncle is dangerously ill; he cannot live many weeks at
farthest. It is absolutely essential that some attempt should be made to
place my cousin where he cannot do me any harm. If the laws permitted
it, I would gladly have him imprisoned for debt. That is, unluckily, out
of the question. I have it in my power, however, to annoy him in such a
way as perhaps to drive him from the city.”
“What do you propose to do?”
“Seize the furniture in execution, either with or without legal
sanction. Robert is far from being a man of the world, and there is no
risk in going to lengths with him, which would be dangerous with
others.”
“I have it,” said Sharp, eagerly.
“Well.”
“Your cousin is quite devoted to a heap of old machinery, out of which
he expects to make a flying machine or something of the kind. To seize
upon that would be the most serious blow you could inflict upon him.”
“I believe you are right. Robert was always a visionary. If that should
prove insufficient to drive him away, I will authorize you to offer him
some pecuniary inducements in a guarded manner—some remunerative
employment which will call him elsewhere, and which he will be the more
tempted to undertake if his present occupation is gone. Only let him be
kept out of the way until——”
“You are called upon to lament the death of your venerable relation,”
suggested Sharp.
“Then,” pursued Lewis, “he may go where he pleases, so far as I am
concerned.”
“My dear sir, you should have been a lawyer. You would have been an
ornament to the profession,” said Mr. Sharp, with complimentary
emphasis.
“Rather an equivocal compliment, I am afraid,” returned Lewis, dryly.
“But in order to carry out this plan of ours, beyond a doubt, we must
ascertain that my cousin will be unable to pay the money when called
upon.”
“I think I may pledge you,” said the lawyer, “that you need entertain no
apprehensions on that score. From what I have seen I conjecture that at
the time of your loan he had but little money on hand, and I know that
he has expended a considerable sum since.”
“It is best to be certain, however.”
“Undoubtedly. I will myself call down there this afternoon, if you think
best, and ascertain this point without exciting his suspicions.”
“Do so; and should you find the prospect favorable, take measures to
have the demand presented to-morrow. If not discharged, you know how to
proceed.”
“You may rely upon my following your directions to the letter,” returned
the attorney, as sweeping his fingers once more through his blushing
locks, he bowed his client gracefully out.