The old man groaned. “Oh, if I had but known it, if I had but known it! Why did not Barton find out?”
“He did, Captain Bradshaw; he has known it all the time.”
“Impossible!” Captain Bradshaw exclaimed. “Impossible!”
“It is true, sir; he has never lost sight of him; he has been in the habit of coming to see him every few months.”
“The atrocious villain! the infernal scoundrel!” Captain Bradshaw exclaimed furiously. “Why did he not tell me?—what was his motive?”
“I can only imagine, sir, that he intended to keep it secret until the boy came of age, in order to get him to promise a very large sum of money upon being placed in possession of proofs of his birth.”
“The scoundrel! the villain!” ejaculated Captain Bradshaw, almost beside himself with passion, “I will punish him, I will kill him. Mr. Prescott, you are a lawyer, I will give ten thousand pounds to have him hung.”
“We will talk of that presently,” Prescott said soothingly; “in the meantime the great point is to get your grandson here.”
“Of course, of course,” Captain Bradshaw said, the current of his thoughts again changed. “I will tell Alice first,” and he went to the door; “Alice! Alice! come down directly.”
Miss Heathcote soon entered the room, and was astounded at seeing her uncle walking up and down the room, with the tears flowing down his cheeks.