CHAPTER XXXVII.
A FINAL SURRENDER.
James Grey waited at home in anxious suspense to hear from HughTrimble. He felt that it would not be prudent to seek him out, lestsuspicion attach to himself, in case his nephew had been murdered. Fromtime to time he realized the risk he had run, and wished he had neverentered into a conspiracy against Gilbert's life.
Twenty-four hours passed, and still Hugh Trimble did not appear toclaim the thousand dollars promised him for the crime he had consentedto perpetrate. James Grey began to grow nervous. His nervousnessincreased when another day passed and still no tidings.
On the third day he was about to set out for the woods, in defiance ofprudence, bent on terminating his suspense, when he received a letterpost-marked St. Louis. It was addressed in a strange hand. He opened itcuriously, but, as he read it, he turned pallid, and, when he hadmastered its contents, he sank into a chair, overcome.
This was the letter:
"ST. LOUIS, October --, 185--.
"MR. JAMES GREY: I write you as the attorney of Gilbert Grey, claiming to be the son of your deceased elder brother, and as such entitled to the large property of which you took possession at your brother's death, and which you still hold, to his prejudice. He is prepared to prove his identity by the written death-bed confession of the clerk whom you employed to abduct him, the genuineness of which document he is also in a condition to prove. It will not be necessary to go into further particulars, since he tells me that he has already conferred with you freely on the subject, and put you in possession of all that he is able to prove.
"He is also prepared to show that you so far recognized the strength of his claim, that in Cincinnati you endeavored to destroy the written confession alluded to, and that on a later occasion you entered into a conspiracy with one Hugh Trimble to murder him, promising the said Trimble one thousand dollars for so doing. To this Hugh Trimble is ready to swear, having repented his wicked compact, and enlisted himself on the side of my client. _Though we feel that exposure and punishment for this wicked plot should justly be visited upon you, we agree to keep it secret provided you interpose no obstacle to the immediate surrender to my client of the property at present unjustly withheld from him._ It is desirable that you come to St. Louis at once, and settle this matter.
"Yours, respectfully,
"ANTHONY BATES."
When James Grey reached the conclusion of this letter he realized thathis plot had completely failed. His tool had turned against him, and hewas in the power of his nephew. There was but one answer to make tothis proposition. _He dared not refuse it!_
He started immediately for St. Louis, and wended his way to thelawyer's office. He feared he should find his nephew there, but wasrelieved to find himself alone with Mr. Bates.
"To what decision have you come, Mr. Grey?" asked the lawyer.
"What terms do you offer?"
"Silence, provided you surrender the estate at once."
"It will render me penniless."
"At what do you estimate the value of the estate?"
"One hundred and fifty thousand dollars."
"This is about the figure at which my client estimated it. I amauthorized by him to offer you ten thousand dollars in hand, and anannual income of two thousand dollars upon the acknowledgment withoutdelay of the rightfulness of his claim."
It was more than Mr. Grey hoped for. He judged his nephew by himself,and doubted, especially after his attempt upon his life, whether hewould not leave him to the bitterness of utter poverty.
"I accept the terms," he said, briefly.
"Then the proper papers shall be made out at once."
Now that Mr. Grey offered no further opposition, there was no furthercause of delay. An hour later, Gilbert had in his possession the legaldocument which restored him to his rights, and made him a rich man.
His uncle received in exchange a paper, assuring to him the provisionwhich Gilbert had generously made. Armed with this, he went homewithout seeing his nephew.
He was ashamed to face the lad whom he had so basely defrauded, andstill more basely sought to slay.
When Jasper, to whom he had said nothing of the motive of his journey,met him, he at once detected the trouble in his father's manner.
"What is the matter, father?" he inquired.
"All is lost, Jasper," said his father.
"What do you mean?"
"Gilbert has triumphed, and I am a comparative beggar."
"Then what is to become of me?" demanded Jasper, thunder-struck.
"Always yourself!" repeated his father, bitterly. "You have no feelingfor me. All your anxiety is for yourself."
"I never pretended to be an affectionate son," said Jasper, coolly."It's my belief that you've mismanaged this matter somewhat. You'dbetter have left it in my hands."
"I did the best I could, but Gilbert is sharp and no baby. You mightknow that from the way in which he tamed Bucephalus."
"I wish the brute had broken his neck."
"I don't know," said James Grey, slowly. "I believe Heaven is on hisside, and we can't fight against Heaven."
"Perhaps you are content to be a beggar. I am not."
"We are not beggars. Your cousin leaves us ten thousand dollars, andassures us an annual income of two thousand dollars."
"That is not bad," said Jasper, with a sigh of relief. "I hope youdon't mean to stay in this dull hole."
"No, it would be disagreeable. When money matters are fairly settled, Ipropose that we shall leave the country, and settle in Europe."
Jasper's eyes sparkled.
"The most sensible thing you could decide upon, father. It isn't so badafter all. We can live comfortably on our income abroad."
"Not as we have done."
"I don't care. I shall get out of this hole, and this life."
A month later Jasper and his father sailed for Europe. They are stillliving there--not happily, for Jasper is not a model son, and hisingratitude and want of ordinary feeling, affect his father the morethat he is thrown upon his society chiefly for companionship.
* * * * *
When Gilbert had settled his affairs he removed to Cincinnati. He wasreceived with a warm welcome by Mr. Ferguson, who heartily rejoiced inhis success. Maurice Walton was filled with envy and disappointment.His rival had been lifted so far above him that there could be nolonger rivalry. Gilbert was a young man of fortune, while he was a poorclerk on a small salary. The worst of it was, that there was no hopenow of winning Bessie Benton. But, had Maurice been wiser, he mighthave seen long ago that he had no hope there. Bessie knew him too well,and though she felt a friendly interest in his welfare there was nochance of any warmer feeling. She had a partiality for Gilbert, whilehe was still poor. As years passed it became further developed, and Iam sure my readers will not be surprised to learn that she now writesher name Bessie Grey.
But I have not yet done with my hero. As may be supposed he resignedhis clerkship in Mr. Ferguson's establishment, generously asking thatMaurice be appointed his successor, and privately agreeing that if Mr.Ferguson would pay him the same salary he had himself received, hewould make up any part that he might not earn. But I am glad to saythat Maurice turned over a new leaf, and stimulated by the double paynow received, became so much more efficient that Gilbert was not calledupon to make good any deficiency. As for Gilbert himself, at thesuggestion of Mordaunt, his roommate, he decided to study law, enteringthe office of the latter, now in successful practice. In due time hewas admitted to the bar. He spent a year in Cincinnati, but was ledthen to remove to Wisconsin, Bessie Benton accompanying him as hiswife. Here he soon began to win reputation, and at this moment he holdsa position of high official trust in his adopted State.
We take leave of "Tom, the Bootblack," trusting that the record of hisstruggles and final success may inspire all boys who read it to emulatehim in bold and ma
nly effort.