|
Main
- books.jibble.org
My Books
- IRC Hacks
Misc. Articles
- Meaning of Jibble
- M4 Su Doku
- Computer Scrapbooking
- Setting up Java
- Bootable Java
- Cookies in Java
- Dynamic Graphs
- Social Shakespeare
External Links
- Paul Mutton
- Jibble Photo Gallery
- Jibble Forums
- Google Landmarks
- Jibble Shop
- Free Books
- Intershot Ltd
|
books.jibble.org
Previous Page
| Next Page
Page 44
"In my mind you are fully justified," was the reply of Mr. Melleville.
"Keep me fully advised of every thing that occurs, and I will aid you
as far as lies in my power. To-day I will call upon Edgar & Co., and
do what I can toward securing for you the place said by Jasper to be
vacant. I presume that I have quite as much influence in this quarter
as he has."
CHAPTER XIII.
Scarcely had Edward Claire left the store of Jasper, ere the latter
went out hurriedly, and took his way to the office of Grind, the
lawyer, to whom he said, as he entered--
"It's just as I feared. The miserable wretch proved as intractable as
iron." Jasper was not only strongly excited, but showed, in his voice
and manner, that he had suffered no ordinary disappointment.
"Couldn't you buy him over?" There was a mixture of surprise and
incredulity in the lawyer's tones.
"No," was the emphatic response.
"That's strange! He's poor?"
"He gets five hundred a year, and has a wife and three children to
support."
"Why didn't you tempt him with the offer to get him a place worth a
thousand?"
"I did."
"With what effect?"
"He wouldn't give up the child."
"Humph!"
"Isn't it too bad, that a mean-souled fellow like him should stand in
our way at such a point of time? I could spurn him with my foot! Hah!"
And Jasper clenched his teeth and scowled malignantly.
"I am disappointed, I confess", said Grind. "But angry excitement
never helped a cause, good or bad. We must have possession of this
child somehow. Martin came down from Reading this morning. I saw him
but an hour ago."
"Indeed! What does he say?"
"The indications of coal are abundant. He made very careful
examinations at a great number of points. In several places he found
it cropping out freely; and the quality, as far as he was able to
judge, is remarkably good."
"Will he keep our secret?" said Jasper.
"It is his interest to do so."
"We must make it his interest, in any event. No time is now to be
lost."
"I agree with you there. A single week's delay may ruin every thing.
The coal is our discovery, and we are, in all equity, entitled to the
benefit."
"Of course we are. It's a matter of speculation, at best; the lucky
win. If we can get an order for the sale, we shall win handsomely.
But, without producing the child, it will be next to impossible to get
the order. So we must have her, by fair means or by foul."
"We must," said the lawyer, compressing his lips firmly.
"And have her now."
"Now," responded Grind.
Previous Page
| Next Page
|
|