CHAPTER XXIV.
A SUDDEN DEPARTURE.
After James Grey's triumphant feeling that he had spiked the guns ofhis young adversary, the revulsion and disappointment of defeat wereall the more disheartening. He would like to have believed his tale afalse one, but that was not easy. On a closer inspection of the paperwhich Maurice Walton had brought to him, he discovered a water-mark inthe paper showing that it had only been manufactured the year previous.As Gilbert had been in Cincinnati three years, this, of course, wassufficient to show that the document could not be genuine.
"Who would have imagined the fellow so shrewd?" ejaculated his uncle,pacing the room with hurried steps. "He lost no time in locking up thepaper. I'm afraid he's going to be a dangerous enemy."
Then, contemptuously:
"What a fool I am--a full-grown man, with fifty years' experience ofthe world, to be afraid of what a boy can do! No, he shall not gain hispoint. Possession is nine points of the law, and possession is mine. Ifhe undertakes to oust me, he must be careful, for I have not lived inluxury, and grown accustomed to it for years, to resign it quietly now.If it is going to be a fight, it shall be a desperate one."
One of the smaller mortifications which Mr. Grey experienced was thatof paying Maurice Walton a hundred and ten dollars, without receivingany benefit from the outlay.
"I'd get the money back, if I could," he thought, but reflectionconvinced him that this would be impossible. Besides, the best way tosecure Maurice's continued silence, was to leave him in undisturbedpossession of the money.
"After all, there's one good thing about him," considered Mr. Grey, "hehates my rascally nephew. For that alone I make him welcome to themoney, though he has done me no good."
How should he carry on the campaign? That was the first thing to beconsidered. Evidently his policy was to be passive. He must remain onthe defensive, leaving the aggressive part of the conflict to hisnephew. First in the programme, he determined to leave Cincinnati atonce, so that no legal process might be served upon him.
"Fortunately, the boy does not know where I live, nor can his employergive him any clew, as he, too, is ignorant of it. If he takes thetrouble to call upon me again, he will find the bird flown."
James Grey was a man of quick action. He no sooner came to thisdetermination than he proceeded to carry it out. Proceeding to theclerk's desk, he announced his immediate departure. Then, taking carenot to order a hotel carriage, lest this should afford a clew to hisdestination, he left the hotel with his carpet-bag in his hand, andtook a cab from the next street. He was driven direct to the depot,and, in a few minutes, was on his way westward.
"How lucky it was that I took the paper from my trunk," thoughtGilbert, as he left the hotel. "Probably it would, by this time, havebeen destroyed, had it come into my uncle's possession. I think I'm alittle ahead of him, this time."
Gilbert was not intimidated, nor were his resolutions shaken by thedefiant tone in which his uncle had spoken to him. He was a spiritedboy, and he meant to stick to his rights, as he understood them. He wasnot one to be browbeaten or cheated, and he resolved to fight out thebattle.
"I will call on my uncle to-morrow evening," he resolved. "He will thenhave had twenty-four hours to think over the situation, and, if he is aman of sense, he will see that he can't get over my proofs."
When Mr. Ferguson, therefore, asked him how the business progressed, heanswered that nothing definite had been settled upon, but that he wasto have another interview with his uncle in the evening.
"It will take some time to bring him round, I think," said hisemployer. "A man doesn't resign a fine estate without some opposition.If you should need any advice, at any time, you may apply to mefreely."
"Thank you, Mr. Ferguson, I certainly will. Perhaps I may need to do itto-morrow."
In the evening our hero walked into the hotel, and, stepping up to thedesk, inquired if Mr. Grey was in.
"He has gone away," was the answer.
"Gone!" exclaimed Gilbert, in manifest dismay, for that possibility hadnot occurred to him.
"Yes--he went away yesterday afternoon."
"Do you know where he went? From what depot?"
"I cannot tell you. He didn't take a carriage, but walked. Probably hewent home."
"Will you let me see his name on the register?"
The book was placed before him, and Gilbert, finding the entry of hisuncle's name, saw opposite it, "St. Louis, Mo."
"So he lives in St. Louis," thought our hero. "It won't be hard to findhim, then. His name is probably in the directory. I must go at once toSt. Louis. This business ought to be attended to at once."
Of course, it was necessary to speak to his employer about leave ofabsence. Probably, also, Mr. Ferguson would be able to give him somevaluable advice, and he was likely to stand in need of it, for theundertaking on which he had entered was of no light character.Single-handed, he could hardly hope to overcome so experienced anddetermined an opponent as James Grey. He sought Mr. Ferguson, and gavehim a full account of what had happened thus far. He concluded bystating the departure of his uncle.
"Well, Gilbert," said Mr. Ferguson, after he had finished, "have youthought of anything further, or will you let the matter rest?"
"Never!" exclaimed our hero, with energy. "I will not rest till I haverecovered the property of which my uncle has deprived me."
"That will be difficult."
"I know it, but I am not afraid of difficulty. It is not impossible. Hethrust me into the streets of New York to earn my living as abootblack; and I might have been there now, if Jacob had not revealedto me the story of my birth."
"You don't express yourself much like a street-boy now, Gilbert."
"No, sir. I hope I have improved since then."
"I used to be amused, sometimes, by the expressions you used."
"I don't wonder, sir. I must have talked like a young barbarian; but Iam grateful to God for having raised me above my former ignorance."
"It is determined, then, that you will prosecute your claims. How doyou propose to do it?"
"I must first go to St. Louis and see my uncle again."
"Does he live in St. Louis?"
"Yes, sir."
"How do you know? Did he tell you so?"
"No, sir. But I read it on the hotel register, at the hotel."
"Did he register himself before he first met you?"
"No, sir."
"Where was he before?"
"I don't know, sir."
"Then what reason have you to think that he registered correctly? Whydid he change his hotel? I may be wrong, but it strikes me that it wasintended as a blind to deceive you. Your uncle is a shrewd man, and hewould understand the importance of keeping his real residence concealedfrom one who had in his power to prosecute a claim against himinvolving nearly his whole fortune."
"Then you don't think he lives in St. Louis, Mr. Ferguson?"
"I don't think he does."
Gilbert looked blank.
"That interferes with my plans," he said. "I meant to ask a month'sleave of absence from you, and go to St. Louis and see what I coulddo."
"That would take money."
"I have saved up about eight hundred dollars," said Gilbert.
"Eight hundred dollars?" repeated his employer, surprised. "How was itpossible for you to save so much?"
"I have no board to pay. My roommate is rich, and I was the means ofdoing him a service which he repays in that way."
"I congratulate you, Gilbert. It speaks well for your habits that youhave laid aside so much money. I was about to offer you a loan."
"Thank you very much, Mr. Ferguson," said Gilbert, gratefully; "but Idon't think I shall need it. I shall have money enough, but that is notall. From what you say, I am afraid, if I went to St. Louis, it wouldonly be a wild-goose chase."
"Stay," said Mr. Ferguson, after a moment's thought; "an idea strikesme. You may gain the knowledge you want with very little trouble. Mind,I say _may_. It i
s not certain."
"How, sir?" said Gilbert, eagerly.