While Mr. Ellerton was in the country, he knew he could do nothing with Robert without exciting suspicion, unless——
A bright idea struck him here, and his evil face lighted with a fiendish triumph.
He reasoned that his enemy had probably disposed of most of his property on leaving his native land, intending to spend several years traveling with his son. In that case he would have most of it in gold with him, or if not in the coin itself, something equivalent in value to show for it.
Why could he not put Mr. Ellerton out of the way, and thus ruin father and son at one blow! Then he could put forward Ralph’s claim, with no one to dispute it, and he would be sure to win. He felt he would never have so favorable an opportunity as now, for the smugglers were at hand to aid him, and once the thing was done, they could leave the country and enjoy their triumph without a fear of being molested.
As these thoughts passed with lightning-like rapidity through his mind, he glanced askance at his nephew, wondering within himself whether it would be safe to impart to him this diabolical plan.
He was a little fearful that Ralph was not quite hardened enough in sin yet, to calmly contemplate robbery and murder. At all events, it would do no harm to sound him a little upon the subject.
“I don’t know about going to the trouble and expense of trying to prove your claim, Ralph,” he finally said. “I think we can come at it easier than that!”
“How?” asked Ralph, looking up, surprised.
“Why, I have been thinking that Ellerton must have turned most of his property into money before leaving home. I know he did before when he went abroad, and it would only take a little maneuvering to get possession of it,” he replied, winking wickedly at him.
Ralph cast a quick, searching glance over his uncle’s face, and then replied, with an assumed air of indifference: