“Well, then, listen. By these papers which you see upon the table, it is announced that a nearer relative to the gentleman who left the property has been discovered, and that your chances of again shining in London life are decidedly slim—for the present, at least.”
The careless expression which had been resting on Preston’s face, suddenly vanished under this, to him, remarkably unpleasing intelligence.
“Good heavens, general! You do not mean to say that all my plans are to be disarranged, and hopes blasted in this shockingly disagreeable manner. Those Thompsons and Smiths must be a set of thorough-faced rascals. As to my uncle’s leaving any relatives outside of our family, and nearer than myself, I am sure it’s a mistake, or else a trumped-up claim. His wife died forty years ago, and his only son was killed among the Indians, nearly as long since.”
“You have hit the right nail on the head, to use a vulgar expression. That son is the person to whom I refer. It seems that he was not killed by the Indians, and lived long enough to raise a family. He is dead now, but there remains a son and daughter, not to speak of his wife. Your uncle took it into his head to turn this only son out of doors; that was what caused him to come to America; but, as he left no will, the estate naturally enough reverts to his grand children.”
“And who are these grandchildren?”
“The grandson is John Vale, one of the rebels whom we endeavored to capture yesterday night.”
CHAPTER IV.
THE WOLF AND THE LAMB.
“So, he is nothing but one of these cursed rebels, after all. If that is the case, my chances are not so desperate as you seem to think. If Captain Morgan succeeded in doing his duty, he is doubtless in custody now, if not dead. Of course I speak of the young man; I have no fears of the old woman and her daughter.”
“Captain Morgan did his duty to the best of his ability; but I am sorry to say that John Vale is not only not in custody, but that, on the contrary, it is Morgan and his command—that is, those of them that are still alive—who are the prisoners.”
“You can not mean to say that a troop of dragoons has been defeated by a squad of these half-mounted, half-armed rebels?”