“I will go up stairs, if you will allow me,” James said, and Prescott almost envied him as his chair was carried out of the room, followed by Alice. “He is a fine fellow, Mr. Prescott; I am proud of him. Ah, if he had not been a cripple!” and the old man sighed. “He is very weak, too, but I think he looks better already.” “I think he does, sir,” Prescott said. “I feel confident that the change will do him good. And now, Captain Bradshaw, I am going to ask what steps you are going to take to prove that this lad is your grandson.” “Prove it!” Captain Bradshaw said, surprised; “why, there is no doubt about the matter.” “To our minds, no,” Prescott said; “the seal, the initials on the clothing, and the agreements of dates and ages are quite sufficient; still, it would be, of course, satisfactory, both to yourself and him, to have the case put in a shape which no one could doubt. There is no doubt, for instance, in our minds, of the marriage of his mother, because you had it from her own lips, but it would be desirable to have the certificate, as also the register of the boy’s birth, and some sort of proof, if obtainable, that the poor lady who died at Mrs. Holl’s was his mother and your daughter.” “As you say, it would be better, Mr. Prescott; as far as the estates go, it makes no difference. I have no son, so the entail is broken, and I can leave them as I choose; and it will, therefore, make no actual difference whether James is legally proved to be my heir or not. Still, it would be, as you say, desirable. How is it to be done?” “Well,” Prescott said, hesitatingly, “unquestionably the best plan would be to go to Barton; I have no doubt he has carefully procured all the necessary evidence. He may, perhaps, demand an exorbitant sum, but now that he must see he will get nothing in the way he had intended, we may make terms with him.” “No, no, Mr. Prescott,” Captain Bradshaw said, striking the table with his hand; “not one farthing shall that infernal scoundrel get from me—not one single farthing. If it had not been for him—but there, I shall only get in a passion if I talk about him,” and Captain Bradshaw gulped down a glass of wine with a force and fury which nearly deprived him of breath. “Well, sir, in that case we must try other means—advertising, and so on. I will, if you will entrust the matter to me, think the matter over, and set about it quietly.” “Do, Mr. Prescott; I am greatly indebted to you for your kindness already, very greatly, and only wish—there, I see what you are going to say; don’t say it, but I have been thinking it over. And now—yes, I knew there was something else I wanted to speak to you about, and to ask you to do for me. About those good people, the Holls. You know I can’t offer them money, but anything money could buy, you know, anything, I would do for them.” Prescott thought for a minute.