He then carefully squeezed himself through this opening and found himself in the closet belonging to the other room, and could now hear the voices quite plainly.
He crept softly along to the door, and applying his ear to the crevice, could easily catch every word that was uttered. Squire Moulton was speaking, and he heard the words:
“Let the girl go to the duse, boy; you have something of more importance on hand just now.”
“I tell you, uncle, I would give up everything to gain Dora Dupont for my wife,” said Ralph, excitedly.
“What! would you give up an honorable name?” sneered the squire.
The young man colored angrily.
“I tell you,” he hissed, “I won’t be twitted with that again. You may carry out your own plans for revenge alone, for all me, if you can’t treat me decently.”
“Well, well,” interrupted his uncle, soothingly.
“No, no; it isn’t well, well. You are always throwing out something about my parentage, and I am about tired of it.”
“That’s all the thanks I get,” retorted Squire Moulton, hotly. “Here I am trying to help you to one of the first positions. Perhaps you would rather I would tell you outright that you are illegitimate, with no chance of claiming an honorable name?”