BACK IN GROVETON
Meanwhile, some things occurred in Groveton which require to be
chronicled. Since the visit of Tony Denton, and the knowledge that
his secret was known, Prince Duncan had changed in manner and
appearance. There was an anxious look upon his face, and a haggard
look, which led some of his friends to think that his health was
affected. Indeed, this was true, for any mental disturbance is
likely to affect the body. By way of diverting attention from the
cause of this altered appearance, Mr. Duncan began to complain of
overwork, and to hint that he might have to travel for his health.
It occurred to him privately that circumstances might arise which
would make it necessary for him to go to Canada for a lengthened
period.
With his secret in the possession of such a man as Tony Denton,
he could not feel safe. Besides, he suspected the keeper of the
billiard-room would not feel satisfied with the thousand-dollar bond
he had extorted from him, but would, after awhile, call for more.
In this he was right.
Scarcely a week had elapsed since his first visit, when the
servant announced one morning that a man wished to see him.
"Do you know who it is, Mary?" asked the squire.
"Yes, sir. It's Tony Denton."
Prince Duncan's face contracted, and his heart sank within him.
He would gladly have refused to see his visitor, but knowing
the hold that Tony had upon him, he did not dare offend him.
"You may tell him to come in," he said, with a troubled look.
"What can the master have to do with a man like that?" thought Mary,
wondering. "I wouldn't let him into the house if I was a squire."
Tony Denton entered the room with an assumption of ease which was
very disagreeable to Mr. Duncan.
"I thought I'd call to see you, squire," he said.
"Take a seat, Mr. Denton," said the squire coldly.
Tony did not seem at all put out by the coldness of his reception.
"I s'pose you remember what passed at our last meeting, Mr. Duncan,"
he said, in a jaunty way.
"Well, sir," responded Prince Duncan, in a forbidding tone.
"We came to a little friendly arrangement, if you remember,"
continued Denton.
"Well, sir, there is no need to refer to the matter now."
"Pardon me, squire, but I am obliged to keep to it."
"Why?"
"Because I've been unlucky??"
"I suppose, Mr. Denton," said the squire haughtily, "you are capable
of managing your own business. If you don't manage it well, and meet
with losses, I certainly am not responsible, and I cannot understand
why you bring the matter to me."
"You see, squire," said Tony, with a grin, "I look upon you as a
friend, and so it is natural that I should come to you for advice."
"I wish I dared kick the fellow out of the house," thought Prince
Duncan. "He is a low scamp, and I don't like the reputation of
having such visitors."
Under ordinary circumstances, and but for the secret which Tony
possessed, he would not have been suffered to remain in the squire's
study five minutes, but conscience makes cowards of us all, and Mr.
Duncan felt that he was no longer his own master.
"I'll tell you about the bad luck, squire," Tony resumed. "You know
the bond you gave me the last time I called?"
Mr. Duncan winced, and he did not reply.
"I see you remember it. Well, I thought I might have the luck to
double it, so I went up to New York, and went to see one of them
Wall Street brokers. I asked his advice, and he told me I'd better
buy two hundred shares of some kind of stock, leaving the bond with
him as margin. He said I was pretty sure to make a good deal of
money, and I thought so myself. But the stock went down, and
yesterday I got a letter from him, saying that the margin was all
exhausted, and I must give him another, Or he would sell out the
stock."
"Mr. Denton, you have been a fool!" exclaimed Mr. Duncan irritably.
"You might have known that would be the result of your insane folly.
You've lost your thousand dollars, and what have you got to show
for it?"
"You may be right, squire, but I don't want to let the matter end
so. I want you to give me another bond."
"You do, eh?" said Duncan indignantly. "So you want to throw away
another thousand dollars, do you?"
"If I make good the margin, the stock'll go up likely, and I won't
lose anything."
"You can do as you please, of course, but you will have to go
elsewhere for your money."
"Will I?" asked Tony coolly. "There is no one else who would let
me have the money."
"I won't let you have another cent, you may rely upon that!"
exclaimed Prince Duncan furiously.
"I guess you'll think better of that, squire," said Tony, fixing
his keen black eyes on the bank president.
"Why should I?" retorted Duncan, but his heart sank within him,
for he understood very well what the answer would be.
"Because you know what the consequences of refusal would be,"
Denton answered coolly.
"I don't understand you," stammered the squire, but it was
evident from his startled look that he did.
"I thought you would," returned Tony Denton quietly. "You know
very well that my evidence would convict you, as the person who
robbed the bank."
"Hush!" ejaculated Prince Duncan, in nervous alarm.
Tony Denton smiled with a consciousness of power.
"I have no wish to expose you," he said, "if you will stand
my friend."
In that moment Prince Duncan bitterly regretted the false step
he had taken. To be in the power of such a man was, indeed,
a terrible form of retribution.
"Explain your meaning," he said reluctantly.
"I want another government bond for a thousand dollars."
"But when I gave you the first, you promised to preserve
silence, and trouble me no more."
"I have been unfortunate, as I already explained to you."
"I don't see how that alters matters. You took the risk voluntarily.
Why should I suffer because you were imprudent and lost your money?"
"I can't argue with you, squire," said Tony, with an insolent smile.
"You are too smart for me. All I have to say is, that I must have
another bond."
"Suppose I should give it to you--what assurance have I that you
will not make another demand?"
"I will give you the promise in writing, if you like."
"Knowing that I could not make use of any such paper with out
betraying myself."
"Well, there is that objection, certainly, but I can't do anything
better."
"What do you propose to do with the bond?"
"Deposit it with my broker, as I have already told you."
"I advise you not to do so. Make up your mind to lose the first,
and keep the second in your own hands."
"I will consider your advice, squire."
But it was very clear that Tony Denton would not follow it.
All at once Prince Duncan brightened up. He had a happy thought.
Should it be discovered that the bonds used by Tony Denton belonged
to the contents of the stolen box, might he not succeed in throwing
the whole blame on the billiard-saloon keeper, and have him arrested
as the thief? The possession and use of the bonds would be very
damaging, and Tony's reputation was not such as to protect him.
Here seemed to be a rift in the clouds--and it was with comparative
cheerfulness that Mr. Duncan placed the second bond in the hands of
the visitor.
"Of course," he said, "it will be for your interest not to let any
one know from whom you obtained this."
"All right. I understand. Well, good morning, squire; I'm glad
things are satisfactory."
"Good morning, Mr. Denton."
When Tony had left the room, Prince Duncan threw himself back in his
chair and reflected. His thoughts were busy with the man who had
just left him, and he tried to arrange some method of throwing the
guilt upon Denton. Yet, perhaps, even that would not be necessary.
So far as Mr. Duncan knew, there was no record in Mr. Armstrong's
possession of the numbers of the bonds, and in that case they would
not be identified.
"If I only knew positively that the numbers would not turn up, I
should feel perfectly secure, and could realize on the bonds at any
time," he thought. "I will wait awhile, and I may see my way clear."