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Page 41
"No--no! I hate him too cordially for that. He's a villain in
disguise; that's my opinion of him. A low, canting hypocrite. Buy him
off for money. Oh no!"
"Could he be bought?" asked the lawyer.
"Could he?" A flush of surprise lit up, for a moment, the face of
Jasper. "What a question for _you_ to ask. Hasn't every man his price?
Bought! Yes, I could buy him fifty times over."
"Then do so, and in the quietest manner. That is my advice."
"I'll steal the child!" exclaimed Jasper, rising up in his excitement,
and moving uneasily about the room.
Grind shook his head, as he replied--
"All folly. No man ever did a wise thing while he was in a passion.
You must permit yourself to cool down a great many degrees before you
can act judiciously in this matter."
"But to be thwarted by him!" An expression of the deepest disgust was
in the face of Jasper.
"All very annoying, of course," was the response of Grind. "Still,
where we can't make things bend exactly to our wishes, it is generally
the wisest policy to bend a little ourselves. We often, in this way,
gain a purchase that enables us to bring all over to our side."
It must not be supposed that Grind, in giving his client advice
that was to prevent an appeal to law, did so from any unselfish
friendliness. Nothing of the kind. He saw a great deal to gain,
beyond; and, in his advice, regarded his own interests quite as much
as he did those of Jasper. He was not, however, at this interview,
able to induce the merchant to attempt to settle the matter with
Claire by compromise. The most he could do was to get him to promise,
that, for the present, he would make no effort to get the person of
the child into his possession.
Jasper, when he left his lawyer, was less satisfied with him than
he had ever been. In previous cases, he had found Grind ready to
prosecute or defend, and to promise him the fullest success--though
success did not always come.
Several more consultations were held during the succeeding two or
three weeks, and, finally, Jasper was brought over fully to his
lawyer's way of thinking.
CHAPTER XII.
The minds of Claire and his wife were yet in a state of suspense,
when, some weeks after the first interview, the former received a
politely worded note from Jasper, requesting him to call at his store.
He went, accordingly, and Jasper received him with marked suavity
and kindness of manner, and, after making a few inquiries about his
family, said--
"Edward: I believe I must confess to having been a little over-excited
at our last interview. The fact is, I had forgotten all about that
contract; and when you brought it to my mind so abruptly, I was thrown
somewhat off of my guard, and said things for which I have since felt
regret. So let what is past go. I now wish to have another talk with
you about Fanny Elder. How is the child?"
"She is very well."
"And she has grown, I presume, finely?"
"Yes. She's now quite a stout girl."
"What kind of a child is she? Docile and obedient?"
"None could be more so. A sweeter disposition I have never seen."
"How are you getting on now, Edward?" Mr. Jasper's voice was kind and
insinuating.
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