"You mean I am off duty, sir?"
"Certainly; you understand English, don't you? There will be no more guard work tonight."
As the door closed again behind Peters the fellow rose to his feet, and held out his hand. "You are the kind I like, Craig," he said cordially. "At first I had my doubts about you, and no doubt have been harsh. To be perfectly honest I thought you would be all right under ordinary circumstances, but was afraid the girl had a sentimental hold on you which would make you difficult to handle. Lord, she thought so too. Did you see her face when you first sided in with me? She wilted completely. Well, that will make the rest easy. Sit down again, and I will explain what I want you for."
I accepted the chair indicated, but was not yet altogether ready to hear his proposition.
"Just a moment," I said firmly. "I may be the man you want, and all that, but I have got to be convinced first that I am not making another mistake. I came down here originally believing myself an agent of justice, only to discover I had been duped. This time I insist on the truth. I may be a soldier of fortune, but I prefer choosing the side on which I fight."
"You mean you wish to assure yourself I have the right of it," he asked smilingly, "before you enlist? There is nothing unreasonable to that. Unfortunately, however," and he picked up the papers from the desk, "I can only furnish you corroborative proofs now. Still, I think these will be convincing. The legal papers, which absolutely establish my identity as Philip Henley, are in the hands of lawyers, who represent me at Carrollton. The case will not come up for adjudication for several weeks yet," speaking slowly, and with careful choice of words, "but my contention as heir to the property is thoroughly established. It had to be, for as you know the Judge's son had been away from this neighborhood for years, practically ever since boyhood. He was almost unknown to the local inhabitants, even to the servants. He was even reported as being dead. This state of affairs made identification the most important thing to be considered. Consequently all documents bearing directly on that point are, at present, out of my reach. You understand?"
"Yes; only you must have retained something to substantiate your word."
"Precisely. I was coming to that. I have letters from my father which should be sufficient. You have seen Judge Henley's writing?" and he handed me a half dozen missives. They were without envelopes, each beginning simply, "My Dear Son," relating principally to local conditions on the plantation, and occasionally expressing a desire for the wanderer to return, and assume the burden of management. Instead of names, initials were employed to designate individuals referred to, and it was evident the recipient had been addressed at various places. That they were in the crabbed and peculiar handwriting of the old Judge was beyond all question, and the dates covered several years. I read them through carefully, puzzled by their contents.
"There are no envelopes?"
"No; I never keep them—why?"