The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1888-02-25 00:00:00

CHAPTER XL
THE SHAM HEIR.

IN a large, dim room, fronting the Temple Gardens, sat
two gentlemen, awaiting the arrivalof the pseudo Alfred
Trevor. One of them was dainty, dapper, and well
preserved; the other was thin, wiry, and brown as
his own parchment, with the eye of a hawk, and the
suspicious expression of one habituated to detect the
frauds and deal with the darker side of human life.
One was the uncle and guardian of Rose Chard, the
other a distinguishedlawyer, widely celebrated for his
acuteness and success in his profession.
At the lower end of the room, standing in front of a
desk, employed in arranging papers, was a young
man of striking personal appearance, with an air of
genial good humour in his clear eyes and expressive
mouth, which at once made an impression in his
favour. He paused in his occupation, and seemed
to listen with the keenest interest to the conclusion of
the conversation between the lawyer and his client.
"And now, Mr. Spring, what do you think will be
the best course to pursue ?"
"Contest every inch of the ground, of course. I
have little faith in the validity of this man's title; for
if it was genuine, it would scarcely have laid in abey-
ance so long."
"That can be accounted for easy enough, by the
wandering life he has led. I have not yet seen the
new claimant to my niece's inheritance, for I was out
of town when he called at my house. He informed
me that he has employed a lawyer to prosecute his
rights, but I have had no formal notification from one
yet."
"He has probably thought better of it, and will
attempt to extort something from you by way of a
compromise. Have you thought of meeting him on
that ground?"
"We can temporise until we find out on what
proofs he relies to sustain his cause. Half the estate
would still be a handsome portion for Rose; but I
must be very thoroughly convinced that the son of
Mr. Trevor is really the claimant before I yield a
single advantage."
"Very right; we must guard Miss Chard's interests
with jealous care; and it is strange, I must say, that
after twenty-one years' absence from his native land,
Albert Trevor should arise like one from the grave. It
Is very suspicious; though, after all, the man may
not be an impostor. What means can we have of
identifying him? Is there a portrait of him as a youth
in your possession? I believe his uncle's effects fell
into the hands of your brother ?"
"Among them was a pencil sketch, taken of him
by a young girl of obscure origin, but great talent,
who lived near Roselands. At the time young Trevor
ran away from his father and went to sea it was said
that the old gentleman's opposition to this attachment
was the cause of the rupture between them. It
occurred to Me that we might compare this with the
person who will come here to-day, and see if any of
his features are similar to those of the picture. I
placed it on Mr. Ashton's desk."
"We will examine it before he arrives. Though he
is probably little like it now, yet it may furnish some
svidence either for or against him."
Ashton, brought forward the picture, and laid it
upon the table. It was only a crayon drawing, repre-
senting a well-developed youth of sixteen. The acute
lawyer examined the features, and then said—
" There is nothing in this face to prevent him from
pushing his claims to the very extent the law will
allow. What is your opinion, Mr. Ashton ?"
"That a hard, selfish nature gleams through it. If
the original of that has an advantage, he will surely
keep it," replied .Aahton, surveying the sketch, with a
vague desire to dash his hand against the insensible
cardboard on which it was delineated. Even the
magic touch of affection could not soften or idealise
the repulsive traits there represented."
At that moment an imperious knock was st-ruck
upon the door, and in another instant it opened to
admit the stalwart form of Trevor, wearing an air of
confident success and unabashed impudence.
"Good morning, gentlemen. Glad to meet you.
Mr. Chard, I remember you, though it is so many
years since I had the pleasure of meeting you. You
can scarcely recognise the stripling, Albert Trevor, in
the world-hardened man before you."
Mr. Chard barely touched the hand which the other
extended, and stiffly said—
"you have quite the advantage of me, Mr. Trevor,
for I am sure I should never have remembered you as
the lad I once knew."
"Especially as it is not to your interest to do so,
ha? Sorry to interfere with the brilliant prospects of
so pretty a creature as Miss Chard ; but right is
right, you know; and my father's son is the best
title to enjoy the fortune he left."
"Certainly—.when he has established his title to it,"
remarked Mr. Spring, drily. "We have met here, I
believe, Mr. Trevor, to judge of the validity of your
claims, before extreme steps are taken on either side
to adjudicate them at law. Permit me to present to
you my partner, Mr. Ashton."
Trevor nodded, and, without further ceremony,
threw himself upon the chair which was offered him:
Ravine, tilted it back till it rested on two legs, he
placed his feet upon the edge of the table and coolly
said:
"I'm going to,make myself comfortable, gentlemen,
before we begifi this stupid investigation. I think it
doesn't say much for the honesty of some people,
that a man has to prove himself his father's son to a
coupl of others who are determined beforehand that
he shan't come in for his own, if they can help it."
At this rude address Mr. Chard grew very red; and
Mr. Spring pushed back his spectacles, and regarded
Trevor with an expression of mute amazement which
seemed to afford that person the most intense satis-
faction. He returned the stare with a coarse laegh
and then said:
"Am I as curious a specimen of natural nistory
as the horned owl, or the polar bear? Come, give us
your opinion now. lam anxious to hear it."
"It will not flatter your vanity much, sir; nor will
it materially advance your interests. If you wish to
impress me with the belief that you are the son of my
old friend Thomas Trevor, you should at least assume
the appearance of possessing some of the instincts of
a gentleman."
At this severe speech Trevor coloured and affected
to laugh. He roughly said:
"You'll find out soon enough that I can prove my
. paternity beyond a doubt. I should not have come
L here at all if I had not felt sure of that."
"The sooner these proofs are laid before us the better
for all concerned," said Mr. Spring in his driest manner.
"We have not met here to bandy words, nor to listen
to ill-bred speeches, but to transact an important busi-
ness. Proceed in your developments at once, if you

please, Mr. Trevor."
Thus admonished, Trevor drew from the breast of
his coat a flat tin case secured by clasps, which he
loosened with the point of a small dagger he wore upon
his person. It opened and revealed several papers
stained and yellow with time; laying his hand on them,
he said—
" Before starting on my long cruise around the world
I made a trip to the West Indies. When I came back
my father showed me this case, and said to me:
Albert, I see with grief that you 'have a roving dis-
position, which will never permit you to remain con-
tented at home. lam an old man now, and may die
any day. Executors are not always to be trusted,
and I have prepared this case in which are memorials
that are 'infinitely precious to me; in it I shall also
place my will. Under the floor of the summer house
at Roselands is an iron chest which my ancestor
placed there two hundred years, when "Old Noll"
was turning England into a battle-field, for the con-
cealment of important family documents. It has
never been removed, and will again serve the same
purpose.' You follow me, gents ?"
"We do; your story is prepared with minuteness, I
perceive," remarked Mr. Spring.
Trevor's intense eyes flashed, but he calmly went
on. "My father proceeded to state, that if he
should die in my absence, and be wrought on to dis-
pose of his property to another person, there T would
find the means to claim my inheritance; to balle any
attempted fraud."
"What do you mean to insinuate, sir ?" asled Mr.
Chard, with much heat.
"Nothing—nothing—since there is a lady in the
case," said Trevor, with an offensive leer. "Of
course, all has been fair and above-board up to ,this
time; but it seems to me now that if fair means fail,
foul ones will be resorted to, to keep me out of the
enjoyine4t of nay Prouerty," ..;

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