"Served me faithfully!" sneered Jaspar. "You served me a cursed shabby
trick above Baton Rouge, at the wood-yard."
"My _dear_ sir, you wrong me! I did not injure you bodily, I trust?"
"No, sir! You have not that satisfaction."
"I rejoice to hear it. All that I did was for your benefit," returned
the attorney, complacently.
"Do you take me for an idiot?"
"By no means! You have shown your shrewdness too often to permit such a
supposition."
"What do you mean, then?" said Jaspar, a little mollified, in spite of
himself, by the conciliatory assurance of De Guy.
"Simply that your interest demanded your absence. I had not the time,
then, to convince you of the fact; and, I trust, you will pardon the
little subterfuge I adopted to promote your own views."
Jaspar opened his eyes, and fixed them in a broad stare upon big
companion.
"Explain yourself," said he.
"Everything has come out right,--has it not?"
"Yes."
"You are in quiet possession?"
"Yes."
"Then, sir, you may thank me for that little plan of mine at the
wood-yard.
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