"I need not caution you to be secret," he said.
"I shall not say a word to any one," answered young Walton.
James Grey rubbed his hands gleefully, as Walton left the room.
"The scheme promises well," he soliloquized. "My worthy nephew, I may checkmate you yet."
CHAPTER XXII.
THE THEFT OF THE PAPER.
Had Maurice Walton been a youth of strict honor, he could not have been induced to undertake the theft of the paper, however large the sum offered him. But his principles were not strict enough to interfere, and the hope of injuring Gilbert, whom he envied, and therefore hated, made him the more willing to engage in the enterprise.
"A hundred dollars will be very acceptable," he said to himself, complacently. "They couldn't be more easily earned. Now, how shall I set about it?"
Maurice came to the conclusion that Gilbert kept the paper in his trunk. This seemed to be the most natural depository to be selected. Of course, then, he must contrive some means of opening the trunk. He thought of pretending that he had lost the key of his own trunk, and asking Gilbert for the loan of his. But that would draw suspicion upon him when the paper was missed. Another plan, which he finally adopted, was to go to a locksmith, and ask for a variety of trunk keys, on the same pretext, in order to try, with the liberty of returning those that didn't suit. This, and other points necessary to success in his scheme, were determined upon by Maurice, and will be made known to the reader as he proceeds.
A little before ten the next morning, Maurice left his place in the store, and, going to Mr. Ferguson, asked permission to go home.