In his privacy he was a pattern of
candor, and bestowed upon himself such a rating as, to another, would
have given fair promise of good results.
He satisfied himself that the drawer could contain nothing to implicate
him; and, even if it did, why, he was safe enough in the hands of
Dalhousie. The overseer he regarded as a kind of _thing_, who, while he
retained him in his service, would never injure him. Jaspar, for some
reason or other, had formed no very elevated opinion of Dalhousie's
acuteness. He had bought him off cheaply once, and could do so again. If
he refused to be bought off cheaply,--and Jaspar grated his teeth at the
reflection,--why, a method could be devised to get rid of him.
While engaged in these musings, a knock at the door startled him to his
feet. It was not the overseer's knock.
A servant announced a strange gentleman, who declined to give his name.
"Show him in," said Jaspar, re-seating himself, and striving to assume a
tranquillity which did not pervade his mind. Since the consummation of
his base scheme he had been a prey to nervous starts, and the
announcement of a stranger stirred the blood in its channels, and sent
his heart into his throat.
Pages:
361
362
363
364
365
366
367
368
369
370
371
372
373
374
375
376
377
378
379
380
381
382
383
384
385