There was a pause at this point. James Cromwell was waiting to learn what farther communication the merchant might have to make. The latter hesitated because he wished to come to an understanding on a certain point which it required some delicacy to introduce.
"I suppose," he commenced, "when you inquired the boy's age, you wished to understand how long this arrangement was likely to last?"
"Yes, sir. That is an important consideration."
"Then again," said Paul Morton, trying to speak indifferently, "of course there is the contingency of his early death, which would cut off your income arising from the allowance I make for him."
"Yes," said the clerk, "but if I remember rightly, it would be a benefit to you, for you would inherit the property in his place."
"Yes; that was the arrangement his father made without my knowledge. But that has nothing to do with you. I will tell you what I have decided to do in the contingency which I have just named. If the boy dies, you will be an annual loser; I will agree to give you outright such a sum as will produce an equal annual income, say ten thousand dollars."
"You will give me ten thousand dollars if the boy dies?"
"Yes; should he be removed by an early death, though, of course, that is not probable, I will make over to you the sum I have named."
"Ten thousand dollars?"
"Yes; ten thousand dollars, as a testimonial of my appreciation of your services in taking charge of him. That certainly is a liberal arrangement."