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Page 77
For a few moments, Claire was overcome with surprise.
"Concerns Fanny Elder to know! What do you mean, sir?"
"Precisely what I say. There has been a great fraud committed; and I
know all the ins and the outs of it!"
"By whom?" asked Claire.
"Ah!" replied the visitor, "that we will come to after a while."
"Upon whom, then?"
"Upon the estate of Ruben Elder, the father of your adopted daughter."
Not liking either the man's appearance or manner, Claire said, after a
moment's reflection--
"Why have you called to see me?"
"To give the information I have indicated--provided, of course, that
you desire to have it."
"On what terms do you propose to act in this matter? Let us understand
each other in the beginning."
"I can put you in the way of recovering for Miss Elder from twenty to
a hundred thousand dollars, out of which she has been cheated. But,
before I give you any information on the subject, I shall require an
honourable pledge on your part, as well as written agreement, to pay
me twenty per cent. of the whole amount recovered. Will you give it?"
Claire bent his head in thought for some moments. When he looked up he
said--
"No, sir. I can make no compact with you of this kind."
"Very well, sir. That closes the matter," replied Martin, rising. "If
you will not buy a fortune at so small a cost, you deserve to be poor.
How far your conscience is clear in respect to Miss Elder, is another
matter. But, perhaps you don't credit what I say. Let me give you a
single hint. Fanny Elder was missing once for three days. I had a hand
in that affair. Do you think she was carried off, and taken to another
city for nothing? If so, you are wonderfully mistaken. But good
morning, sir. If you should, on reflection, change your mind, you can
hear of me by calling at the office of Grind, the lawyer."
"Good morning," returned Claire, showing not the least disposition to
retain the man, toward whom he experienced a strong feeling of dislike
and sense of repulsion.
Martin lingered a few moments, and then went out, leaving Claire
bewildered by a rush of new thoughts.
CHAPTER XX.
The meeting of Claire and Jasper, for the final settlement of Mr.
Elder's estate, was to take place at the office of Grind, at ten
o'clock. Before keeping his appointment, the former turned over in
his mind, with careful deliberation, the circumstances which had just
occurred; and the more he thought of it, the better satisfied was he
that a fraud had been committed. The author of that fraud could be no
one else but the guardian of Fanny; of whose honesty Claire had, with
good reason, no very high opinion. His conclusion was, not to accept,
at present, a settlement of the estate.
With an uneasy foreboding of evil--he was, in fact, rarely now without
that feeling--Leonard Jasper took his way to the office of Grind.
Notwithstanding he had defied Martin, he yet feared him. But he was so
near to the point of comparative safety, that he hoped soon to be past
all real danger from this quarter. Too little time had elapsed, since
he parted with him, for Martin to see Claire, even if a thought
of assailing him in that quarter had crossed his mind. So Jasper
believed. How sadly taken by surprise was he, therefore, when, on
meeting Claire, the latter said--
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