A SUDDEN DEPARTURE.
After James Grey's triumphant feeling that he had spiked the guns of
his young adversary, the revulsion and disappointment of defeat were
all the more disheartening. He would like to have believed his tale a
false one, but that was not easy. On a closer inspection of the paper
which Maurice Walton had brought to him, he discovered a water-mark in
the paper showing that it had only been manufactured the year previous.
As Gilbert had been in Cincinnati three years, this, of course, was
sufficient to show that the document could not be genuine.
"Who would have imagined the fellow so shrewd?" ejaculated his uncle,
pacing the room with hurried steps. "He lost no time in locking up the
paper. I'm afraid he's going to be a dangerous enemy."
Then, contemptuously:
"What a fool I am--a full-grown man, with fifty years' experience of
the world, to be afraid of what a boy can do! No, he shall not gain his
point. Possession is nine points of the law, and possession is mine. If
he undertakes to oust me, he must be careful, for I have not lived in
luxury, and grown accustomed to it for years, to resign it quietly now.
If it is going to be a fight, it shall be a desperate one."
One of the smaller mortifications which Mr. Grey experienced was that
of paying Maurice Walton a hundred and ten dollars, without receiving
any benefit from the outlay.
"I'd get the money back, if I could," he thought, but reflection
convinced him that this would be impossible. Besides, the best way to
secure Maurice's continued silence, was to leave him in undisturbed
possession of the money.
"After all, there's one good thing about him," considered Mr. Grey, "he
hates my rascally nephew. For that alone I make him welcome to the
money, though he has done me no good."
How should he carry on the campaign? That was the first thing to be
considered. Evidently his policy was to be passive. He must remain on
the defensive, leaving the aggressive part of the conflict to his
nephew. First in the programme, he determined to leave Cincinnati at
once, so that no legal process might be served upon him.
"Fortunately, the boy does not know where I live, nor can his employer
give him any clew, as he, too, is ignorant of it. If he takes the
trouble to call upon me again, he will find the bird flown."
James Grey was a man of quick action. He no sooner came to this
determination than he proceeded to carry it out. Proceeding to the
clerk's desk, he announced his immediate departure. Then, taking care
not to order a hotel carriage, lest this should afford a clew to his
destination, he left the hotel with his carpet-bag in his hand, and
took a cab from the next street. He was driven direct to the depot,
and, in a few minutes, was on his way westward.
"How lucky it was that I took the paper from my trunk," thought
Gilbert, as he left the hotel. "Probably it would, by this time, have
been destroyed, had it come into my uncle's possession. I think I'm a
little ahead of him, this time."
Gilbert was not intimidated, nor were his resolutions shaken by the
defiant tone in which his uncle had spoken to him. He was a spirited
boy, and he meant to stick to his rights, as he understood them. He was
not one to be browbeaten or cheated, and he resolved to fight out the
battle.
"I will call on my uncle to-morrow evening," he resolved. "He will then
have had twenty-four hours to think over the situation, and, if he is a
man of sense, he will see that he can't get over my proofs."
When Mr. Ferguson, therefore, asked him how the business progressed, he
answered that nothing definite had been settled upon, but that he was
to have another interview with his uncle in the evening.
"It will take some time to bring him round, I think," said his
employer. "A man doesn't resign a fine estate without some opposition.
If you should need any advice, at any time, you may apply to me
freely."
"Thank you, Mr. Ferguson, I certainly will. Perhaps I may need to do it
to-morrow."
In the evening our hero walked into the hotel, and, stepping up to the
desk, inquired if Mr. Grey was in.
"He has gone away," was the answer.
"Gone!" exclaimed Gilbert, in manifest dismay, for that possibility had
not occurred to him.
"Yes--he went away yesterday afternoon."
"Do you know where he went? From what depot?"
"I cannot tell you. He didn't take a carriage, but walked. Probably he
went home."
"Will you let me see his name on the register?"
The book was placed before him, and Gilbert, finding the entry of his
uncle's name, saw opposite it, "St. Louis, Mo."
"So he lives in St. Louis," thought our hero. "It won't be hard to find
him, then. His name is probably in the directory. I must go at once to
St. Louis. This business ought to be attended to at once."
Of course, it was necessary to speak to his employer about leave of
absence. Probably, also, Mr. Ferguson would be able to give him some
valuable advice, and he was likely to stand in need of it, for the
undertaking on which he had entered was of no light character.
Single-handed, he could hardly hope to overcome so experienced and
determined an opponent as James Grey. He sought Mr. Ferguson, and gave
him a full account of what had happened thus far. He concluded by
stating the departure of his uncle.
"Well, Gilbert," said Mr. Ferguson, after he had finished, "have you
thought of anything further, or will you let the matter rest?"
"Never!" exclaimed our hero, with energy. "I will not rest till I have
recovered the property of which my uncle has deprived me."
"That will be difficult."
"I know it, but I am not afraid of difficulty. It is not impossible. He
thrust me into the streets of New York to earn my living as a
bootblack; and I might have been there now, if Jacob had not revealed
to me the story of my birth."
"You don't express yourself much like a street-boy now, Gilbert."
"No, sir. I hope I have improved since then."
"I used to be amused, sometimes, by the expressions you used."
"I don't wonder, sir. I must have talked like a young barbarian; but I
am grateful to God for having raised me above my former ignorance."
"It is determined, then, that you will prosecute your claims. How do
you propose to do it?"
"I must first go to St. Louis and see my uncle again."
"Does he live in St. Louis?"
"Yes, sir."
"How do you know? Did he tell you so?"
"No, sir. But I read it on the hotel register, at the hotel."
"Did he register himself before he first met you?"
"No, sir."
"Where was he before?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Then what reason have you to think that he registered correctly? Why
did he change his hotel? I may be wrong, but it strikes me that it was
intended as a blind to deceive you. Your uncle is a shrewd man, and he
would understand the importance of keeping his real residence concealed
from one who had in his power to prosecute a claim against him
involving nearly his whole fortune."
"Then you don't think he lives in St. Louis, Mr. Ferguson?"
"I don't think he does."
Gilbert looked blank.
"That interferes with my plans," he said. "I meant to ask a month's
leave of absence from you, and go to St. Louis and see what I could
do."
"That would take money."
"I have saved up about eight hundred dollars," said Gilbert.
"Eight hundred dollars?" repeated his employer, surprised. "How was it
possible for you to save so much?"
"I have no board to pay. My roommate is rich, and I was the means of
doing him a service which he repays in that way."
"I congratulate you, Gilbert. It speaks well for your habits that you
have laid aside so much money. I was about to offer you a loan."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Ferguson," said Gilbert, gratefully; "but I
don't think I shall need it. I shall have money enough, but that is not
all. From what you say, I am afraid, if I went to St. Louis, it would
only be a wild-goose chase."
"Stay," said Mr. Ferguson, after a moment's thought; "an idea strikes
me. You may gain the knowledge you want with very little trouble. Mind,
I say _may_. It is not certain."
"How, sir?" said Gilbert, eagerly.