"No, no," said Mr. Wheatley. "He's been dead near twenty years."
"Ay," said Mr. Thornton, gloomily, "he's rotten enough by this time."
"Just try to gather your thoughts together," said Mr. Wheatley; "and see if we can't arrange this matter about the thirty thousand dollars quietly. I think we can; for as to my share of the matter, I can wait; and as for Griswold's, I have a proposal to make to you."
"Uncle Jack," said Mr. Thornton, in a low voice, "give me a tumbler full of whisky--make haste, man, I feel faint. There's the bottle by the bed-side." With evident reluctance, the old negro found out the spirit, and the dying man drank it off at a draught. It seemed to revive him a little, but it made no change in his colour.
"A proposal!" he said, in a stronger voice. "What proposal? I cant pay you the first cent. I have been disappointed in the money I expected; that's the long and the short of it. As to the estate, you can't touch that; for that's settled upon Robert long ago." He had forgotten that his son was dead; but it seemed suddenly to flash upon his recollection, for he paused and put his hand to his head, stammering forth,--
"I forgot, I forgot. A proposal! what proposal?"
"Why this, and I think it a very kind one," said Mr. Wheatley. "A young lady--a very good and generous young lady--offers to advance you the sum necessary to pay off your debt to Mr. Griswold. For my part, I shall not trouble you, in the situation in which you now are; but he, depend upon it, will have no hesitation in taking everything he can take, if the money is not paid by noon to-morrow. You had, therefore, better accept this lady's proposal at once."
"Who is she?" asked Mr. Thornton. "Give me some more whisky, Jack. I feel--I don't know what I feel. Who is she, Wheatley?"
"None other than Miss Davenport," replied Mr. Wheatley. A spasm like that of death came over the sick man's face.
"I won't have it--I won't take it--I won't have to thank Bessy Davenport for a cent," he cried in a voice preternaturally loud. "Give me the whisky, you old black villain--give me the whisky."