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Mark Mason's Victory, a novel by Horatio Alger |
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Chapter 22. A Crafty Schemer |
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_ CHAPTER XXII. A CRAFTY SCHEMER "Your uncle has been here, Mark," said Mrs. Mason, when Mark reached home. "I can tell you what business he came about, mother." "He wanted my signature to a paper acknowledging that I had received my full share of father's estate." "You didn't give it?" inquired Mark anxiously. "No; I would not take such an important step without your knowledge." "I feel much relieved. I have not told you what I found on my journey to Niagara." "What is it?" "That Uncle Solon is trying to cheat you out of a large sum of money." "Is that possible? But father did not leave a fortune." "So we all supposed. What if I should tell you that he left you enough to make you comfortable for life on your share." Mrs. Mason looked incredulous. "Here, read this memorandum, mother," and Mark explained briefly how he came into possession of it. "Tell me what it all means, Mark. I have a poor head for business." "It means that grandfather owned four hundred shares of the Golden Hope mine in Colorado. Probably he bought it for a small sum. But it has proved unexpectedly rich, and it will probably soon be worth one hundred dollars a share. That means twenty thousand dollars for you, mother." "And Solon Talbot wants me to relinquish my claim for a hundred dollars!" exclaimed Mrs. Mason indignantly. "Exactly so, mother." "Then I will give him a piece of my mind when he comes here this afternoon." "Don't do it, mother. It is our policy to make him think we are ignorant of the existence of this important item in grandfather's estate. Only you must steadily refuse to sign a release." "I will. I hope you will be here when he calls." "I will get off for the afternoon. I wish to be here myself. I have a little headache, which will give me an excuse." When Solon Talbot called on his sister-in-law about three o'clock in the afternoon he was rather disgusted to find Mark at home. He knew that Mark was much more clear-sighted than his mother, and he feared that he would influence her to refuse her signature. "Good afternoon, Ellen," he said suavely. "Take a seat, Mr. Talbot," said Mrs. Mason coldly. "How do you happen to be at home, Mark?" asked Solon, regarding Mark with a slight frown. "I got excused for the afternoon. I have a headache." "Perhaps you won't mind going out for a few minutes. I wish to speak to your mother on business." "Do you wish me to go out, mother?" asked Mark. "No. Whatever affects you affects me. Besides, I may want your advice." "I don't ask Edgar for advice," returned Solon Talbot dryly. "I suppose not. You are a business man, and can judge better than he. I am not a business man." "You are older than Mark." "I have always found Mark a safe and good adviser." "You will spoil him by such flattery." "I am not afraid of it." "Very well. I will humor your prejudices. Mark may have more judgment than I give him credit for." This he said because he saw that it was necessary under the circumstances to propitiate Mark. The telegraph boy understood his uncle's object very well and was amused, but remained outwardly grave. "Thank you, uncle," he said briefly. "I will address myself, then, to both of you. You will remember that I offered you a hundred dollars in cash--I have the money with me," he added, tapping his pocket--"if you will sign acknowledgment that you have received your full share of your father's estate. It is a mere form, but I want to wind the whole business up and have it off my hands." "I can't sign such a paper at present, Solon." "Why not?" "Because I am not sure that I have received my full share." "Don't you believe my assurance to that effect?" said Solon Talbot impatiently. "It is an important matter, and I have no evidence but your word." "Do you doubt my word?" "In this matter your interests and mine might clash." "Then let me tell you that you are getting more than your share--that is, when I have paid you the hundred dollars. The fact is, your father left a very small estate. After paying his funeral expenses and debts there was scarcely anything over, and off that little you have already had your share. Still I understand your position and sympathize with you in your poverty, and therefore I am willing to strain a point and give you a hundred dollars." If Mr. Talbot expected his sister-in-law to look grateful he was doomed to disappointment. "A hundred dollars," he continued, "is a good deal of money, especially in your circumstances. I am sure Mark will agree with me in this." "It is more than all the money we have," replied Mark. "Precisely. It will make things easy for you for a year to come. By that time Mark will probably be earning higher pay than at present, and so your mind will be quite at ease." "You are very considerate, Solon, but I think I would rather not sign." "Why, this is midsummer madness. I am sure Mark will not advise you to refuse." "I quite agree with my mother," said Mark. "Well," returned Talbot angrily, "I have heard of foolish people, but I must own that you two beat the record." "Why are you so anxious that my mother should sign a release, Uncle Solon," asked Mark quietly. "Because I wish to have the whole matter settled and off my hands, as I have told you. I have business interests exclusively my own that demand my attention, and I don't want to be bothered by this small matter." "I have no doubt you have good reasons for wishing mother to sign," said Mark. "What do you mean?" demanded Solon suspiciously. "Only that you are a good business man, and understand your own interests." "I wish I could say the same for you," retorted Solon Talbot sharply. "Perhaps we do." "I ought not to be surprised at meeting opposition from a woman and a boy, both ignorant of business. As a rule those who know nothing think they know the most and are most suspicious. However, I can afford to overlook your unexpected obstinacy. I will do what I had no idea of doing when I entered the room. I will increase my offer to a hundred and twenty-five dollars. That is certainly handsome, and I shall not let Mrs. Talbot and Edgar know how foolishly I have acted." As he spoke he laid the paper before Mrs. Mason. "Here is a fountain pen," he said. "You can sign at once." "I don't care to sign, Solon." "Have you been talking to your mother, Mark?" demanded Talbot sharply. "Have you put her up to this?" "We had a little talk together, but I think she is just as determined on the subject as I am." "Then," said Solon Talbot, "I can only regard your refusal as an act of hostility. Evidently you want to break with me and mine. It was my intention to invite you both to take dinner at my house to-morrow; but, as matters stand, we cannot receive you, and I shall forbid Mrs. Talbot to call upon you." "I shall be sorry to be separated from my sister," said Mrs. Mason in a pained tone, "but I cannot sign away my own and my children's rightful inheritance." "I don't know what you mean by this nonsense. I have offered you more than your share of your rightful inheritance, as you see fit to call it. If you choose to return my kindness with ingratitude, I can only leave you to the consequences of your own folly." He looked first at Mark and then at his mother to see how this speech affected them, but both looked firm, and there seemed to be nothing to do but to leave them. He took his hat and strode to the door, his hands trembling with nervous anger. But at the door he paused. "If you come to your senses," he said, "and desire to accept my offer, Mark can call on me. I hate to see you so blind to your own interests." After he had left the room Mark and his mother looked at each other. "Uncle Solon seemed very much in earnest," said Mark. "Yes; I am now ready to believe that he is conspiring to cheat us. It is shameful! He is a rich man already, and we are so poor." "But we shan't be long, mother." "You must take good care of that memorandum, Mark." "I shall carry it to a young lawyer whom I know well, and ask his advice about it. When the right time comes I shall bring it forward. I will ask him to keep it in his safe." "Very well, Mark. I think that will be wise." The next day Mark received a letter at the office where he was employed. On the left-hand upper corner was the imprint:
"If he does I'll make you my office-boy," said Mark in a jocular tone. "I hope the old gentleman has quite recovered from his dynamite scare." _ |
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