"'Gone to her room to rest,' said my guardian. 'She thinks I am very
sick and she has watched by my side, to minister to my pains until
she is worn out. I got easy and told her that she might go and rest
herself, as I would, now that the pains had ceased for the time, be
able to take a long nap. She remained until I was seemingly fast asleep
and then she tiptoed out of the room as softly as a cat for fear she
would awaken me.'
"'You worked it well,' said the stranger, 'but what shall I write to
Ganoe? He has written me a long letter engaging my services as his
attorney to find out all about Cassie. What shall I say to him?'
"'Here,' said my guardian, 'are the letters I have written to him in
regard to Cassie's change of mind. You can take your cue from these and
be governed accordingly.'
"'But,' asked the attorney, 'what if she should suspicion something,
and drop a letter to Ganoe into some street box? It might prove to be a
serious matter for us if she should learn the truth.'
"'I have provided for that,' said my guardian. 'There is a round
million in the deal for us, after all the expenses are paid, and no
mail can reach him on the ship, without being inspected by a man who
has as much interest as we have in preventing him from hearing from
Cassie. If a letter should not be intercepted by my agent in the
postoffice, which is not likely, it would be intercepted at the ship.
So rest easy in regard to this matter. There is no danger; besides she
is now my wife, and I have all the legal rights of a husband. But as
we want to avoid everything like friction, it is best to prevent Ganoe
from returning to America, which will not be difficult if it is managed
well.'
"'All right,' said the lawyer, 'provided you deal squarely with me. I
am the only one who could defeat the plan and of course I will not lose
a million to do that.'
"'Of course not,' said my guardian, 'and you know that I have even
more to lose than you have--a life long reputation for integrity and
purity of character, which to a man in my position is worth more than
money. It would cut off my income as a favorite administrator on large
estates.'
"'Well, we are both in the same boat,' laughed the lawyer, 'and we can
well afford to trust each other. I guess that now you have recovered
from your very serious illness we may expect to hold our conferences at
the proper place.'
"'Oh certainly,' laughed my guardian, 'and my lovely bride will not
object to my being away, as she is in widow's weeds, mourning the
untimely death of her first and only love. So, good day. I must rest
and take a long and very refreshing nap to account for my unexpected
recovery.'
"'Just so,' laughed the lawyer, and I heard the door close behind him.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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