“Of course we are all upset,” said Mrs. Bartlett; “for we do not know what minute the Chinese may turn their guns in this direction again. I want my husband to go to Taku with us, but he insists upon remaining here and guarding his property to the last; and I cannot bear to think of separating from him, for we have been together ever since we came to China.” “You spoke about coming particularly to see me,” put in Amos Bartlett. “I did wish to see you very much, Mr. Bartlett,” answered Gilbert. “But, before I go further, let me ask, has Mr. Ramsey Polk’s son Nuggy called upon you yet?” “Ramsey Polk’s son?” repeated the tea-merchant. “Why, no. I did not know that he was in China.” “He came over from Manila with our regiment, although he is not a soldier.” “I have seen or heard nothing of him. I remember him as a boy, but that is all.” “He is on his way here to buy out your interest in the Richmond Importing Company.” “Indeed! I was informed by letter that the Importing Company’s affairs were in bad shape.” And Amos Bartlett smiled in a peculiar way. “Who wrote you that?” “Ramsey Polk. He told me I had better sell out.” “According to my notion, he has misinformed you; and the company is in a highly prosperous condition.” “So I have already learned through a lawyer I hired to investigate. Is this what you wish to see me about?” “I wanted to see you about the claim my father had on the company at the time of his death. If you will remember, my mother got only about two thousand dollars--” “But Ramsey Polk paid her twenty-six thousand dollars later on,” interposed the old tea-merchant. “Twenty-six thousand dollars! He didn’t pay her a cent more than the law compelled him to pay.” “But he wrote to me that he had paid it to her,” insisted Amos Bartlett. “Then he wrote that which was not true. Did you know that there was twenty-six thousand dollars coming to her?” “I did. Your father turned over the certificates of stock to Polk just before he died. I wrote to Polk about it, and he wrote back as I have told you. So neither you nor your mother ever got the money? This looks like a deliberate swindle. Well, I am not surprised--after the game Polk tried to work upon me. He is a bad egg.” And Amos Bartlett shook his head sadly. “I met Nuggy Polk by accident in Manila,” continued Gilbert, and related the particulars of the affair. “If he turns up here, he will get the better of you if he can. But probably he will be too scared to come to Tien-Tsin just now.” “I don’t believe he can harm me--since I have learned the truth of matters in Richmond and since you have warned me. As soon as the present war is over, I shall go to work to bring Ramsey Polk to a strict accounting.” “And will you aid me in my suit against him?” asked Gilbert, anxiously. “Certainly I will, lieutenant. Your father and I were great friends, and I will do all in my power to see that justice is done you.”