CHAPTER XXI.
A CONSPIRACY.
James Grey continued to follow Maurice Walton and his companion untilhis patience was nearly exhausted. At length, just as the city clockswere striking ten, Baker said:
"Well, Walton, I must bid you good-night."
"Won't you walk home with me? It isn't far out of your way."
"Can't do it to-night. The fact is, I want to see the governor beforehe retires. I'm hard up, and shall try to get a ten-dollar bill out ofhim."
"I wish you success. As to being 'hard up,' I can sympathize with you.Couldn't you ask him for an extra ten for me?"
"I would if there was any chance of getting it, but I'm afraid my ownchance is slim enough."
"If I only got Grey's salary, I wouldn't ask favors of anybody; but howis a fellow to get along on ten dollars a week?"
"Just so. Well, good-night."
"Good-night."
Baker walked off, and Maurice Walton walked on by himself. He had takenbut a few steps when Mr. Grey, quickening his pace, laid his hand uponhis shoulder.
"Mr. Walton," said he.
Maurice turned quickly.
"You must excuse the liberty I have taken in addressing you, being astranger; but I heard you, when in conversation with the young man whohas just left you, mention the name of Gilbert Grey."
"Yes, sir, I mentioned his name," said Maurice. "Do you know him?"
"I have spoken with him, but I know very little about him. I judge thatyou do."
"We are in the same store," said Maurice; "but we are not intimatefriends."
"I infer that you do not like him?"
"No, I don't."
"Nor do I."
Probably Mr. Grey could not have said anything more likely to win youngWalton's confidence than this frank expression of dislike.
"The fact is," continued Mr. Grey, "I suppose I may speak to you inconfidence?"
"Oh! certainly, sir," said Maurice, eagerly, for he anticipated hearingsomething to Gilbert's disadvantage.
"Then," said Mr. Grey, in a low tone, "I look upon him as an impostor."
"You do?" repeated young Walton. "What makes you think so?"
"I don't like to speak openly in the street. Can you give me an hour,or even half an hour of your time, or is it necessary for you to gohome at once?"
"Where are you stopping, sir?"
"At the Burnet House."
"I think I can spare half an hour. It is near by."
"Thank you. I will endeavor to make the interview a profitable one foryou. I am going to ask a service of you, and I am willing to payhandsomely for it."
Upon a young man "hard up," as Maurice was, this suggestion was notthrown away.
"I shall be glad to help you, sir," he said, quickly.
"Come with me, then. I will defer saying more till we are seated in myroom at the hotel."
In less than five minutes they were so seated. By the gaslight Mauricegot a fair view of his companion, and was led to wonder who he was.
"Mr. Walton," said the older man, "it is only fair that I should giveyou an equal advantage with myself. I know your name. You do not knowmine. Let me introduce myself as James Grey."
"Formerly in business in this city?"
"The same."
"The uncle of Gilbert Grey?"
"So he says."
It was impossible to mistake the tone in which these words were spoken.
"Is he not really your nephew?" asked Maurice, in surprise.
James Grey shrugged his shoulders.
"He _pretends_ to be; but I believe him to be an impostor."
"What makes you think so? Why should he pretend to be related to you?"asked Maurice, excited and eager.
"Because I am rich, and he has entered into a plot to extort money fromme. I can make clear his design very briefly. He pretends that he isthe son of my elder brother. If this be true, then the property which Ipossess, or a large part of it, properly belongs to him."
"But, if it isn't true, how can he make such a claim?"
"My brother's only son disappeared when a mere boy, and, though hisbody was not found, there is reason to believe that he fell into theOhio river and was drowned. At about the same time, a clerk in myemploy purloined a sum of money and fled. This boy has heard of thesetwo incidents, and, cunningly putting them together, comes forward witha trumped-up story to the effect that this clerk, Jacob Morton, washired to carry off my nephew, in order that, the true heir being out ofthe way, I might succeed to my brother's money. It is ridiculous, andyet it is cunningly devised."
"I always thought he was artful," said Maurice.
"You are quite right there. He has an astonishing amount of artfulnessand unblushing impudence. But I have not told you all. He produces apaper professing to be written by this Jacob Morton, who, he says, isdead, asserting all that he claims."
"Do you think he wrote it himself?"
"Either that, or he has met this clerk somewhere, and they have deviseda plan for jointly enriching themselves at my expense. If this is thecase, and the paper was really written by Jacob Morton, the man isprobably still alive, but keeping himself somewhere in concealment."
"What a bold attempt at fraud!" exclaimed Maurice, who was completelyduped by his companion's plausible statements.
"Is it not? Now I want to ask you, who know him well, what your opinionof him is. Do you look upon him as honest and straightforward?"
"No, I don't. He's just artful enough to be up to some such game. He'sdeceived Mr. Ferguson, and made him think there is no one like him, sothat there is no chance for me. He gets twice the salary that I do,although I have been in the business as long as he."
"And yet you look as if you had a good business turn," said Mr. Grey,with skillful flattery.
"I know as much of business as he does. I am sure of that."
"Mr. Ferguson must be a weak man to be so easily duped. If it were mycase, he wouldn't find it so easy to impose upon me."
"I don't know how he does it, but he has cut me out entirely. Mr.Ferguson won't hear a word against his favorite."
"You are unfortunate, but we are in the same position there. He hasconspired to keep you down, and he is now plotting to extort money fromme by his preposterous claims."
"Do you think he stands any chance?"
"No. But if he produces this paper of his, he might bring a suitagainst me which would be annoying. You know there are some people whoare always ready to believe the worst, and I dare say he would convincesome that his claims were just, and that I had acted fraudulently. Nowthat would be unpleasant to me, though I should be certain to win atlaw."
"Of course. What are you going to do about it, Mr. Grey?"
"To ask your assistance, for which I shall be ready to pay."
"But what can I do?" asked Maurice, in some astonishment.
"I will tell you," said James Grey, hitching his chair nearer that ofhis young visitor; "but, of course, you will keep my confidence?"
"Certainly."
"The whole strength of his case lies in this forged paper. Let me getpossession of that, and he can do nothing."
"I see."
"Now you know where he boards, probably?"
"Yes."
"Can't you contrive to get access to his room, search for thepaper--very likely it is in his trunk--and, when obtained, bring it tome? I am ready to give a hundred dollars for it."
"I don't know," said Maurice, slowly. "I am afraid it would bedifficult."
"But by no means impossible. I will give you ten dollars now, and thatyou may keep, whether you succeed or not. If you succeed, you shallhave a hundred dollars besides. Do you agree?"
As he spoke he held a ten-dollar bill out temptingly. It was atemptation that Maurice Walton, with but fifty cents in his pocket,could not resist. He wanted money sorely. Besides, he had a chance towin a hundred dollars additional, and this would enable him to gratifyseveral wishes which had hitherto seemed unattainable.
"I will d
o my best," he said, holding out his hand for the money.
There was a quiet flash of triumph in the cold, gray eye of his oldercompanion, as he placed the bill in Maurice's hands.
"I need not caution you to be secret," he said.
"I shall not say a word to any one," answered young Walton.
James Grey rubbed his hands gleefully, as Walton left the room.
"The scheme promises well," he soliloquized. "My worthy nephew, I maycheckmate you yet."