"I—I cannot consent to that," cried old Peter. "I want no other person to know our plans. I will keep the paper safely, lad, quite safely."
I thought I saw his cunning now. If they kept the agreement, I should be quite powerless to claim my own, even if I did my work. I saw, too, why they were so willing to offer liberal terms.
"If you refuse, I refuse," I replied. "I stake everything on this, Peter Trevisa. If I fail to bring that maid here to Treviscoe, it will mean that I am a dead man, for I swear that I will not give up while I am alive. If I promise, I promise." This I said firmly, for I knew the danger which attended my work.
"But I will do right, you may trust me," wheedled the old man.
"Maybe," I replied; "do as I say, or I refuse. I simply demand that you write the matter down and sign it. On conditions that I bring the maid, Nancy Molesworth, to Treviscoe, within two months, you give me back the Trevanion deeds, the paper I gave Prideaux, and a declaration that you forgive me the money you mentioned. If I do not bring the maid here in that time, it shall be returned to you, and you can destroy it."
He tried to wriggle out of this, and brought forward as many objections as if he were a lawyer. But I did not yield, and so at length, doubtless believing they would be able to get the better of me, even if I succeeded in my mission, he promised.
"Let us send for Lawyer Hendy at once, and then the matter will be settled," he said, as though he were thinking of means whereby he could keep me in his power.
"Not yet," I said; "there is yet another condition."
"No, no!" he cried; "I have made no more conditions."