while pompey was gone to seek gilbert and invite him to the library, james grey gave the time to rapid reflection. he saw that our hero was a determined and dangerous opponent. he had not credited him with such courage and perseverance. he thought that, being a mere boy, he would be easily intimidated—that opposition and difficulty would daunt him. but he had hardly reached home, and his nephew was already on his track.

"how could he have found out my residence?" thought he. "maurice walton wouldn't tell him. he must be sharper than i supposed."

when intimidation and force fail, a good general has recourse to strategy. james grey was a man of expedients, and he rapidly decided upon a change of base. when, therefore, gilbert entered the library, expecting an angry reception, he was astonished by seeing his uncle rise from his chair and advance to meet him with hand outstretched.

"good-morning," he said, smiling. "how did you find your way here?"

"i accidentally learned where you lived, mr. grey."

"precisely so. i was quite sure i had not mentioned my address to you."

"no, sir, you did not."

"it was an oversight on my part. did you have a pleasant journey from cincinnati?"

"quite pleasant, sir."

"are you traveling on business?"

"on business with you, sir. that is all."

"so i supposed. well, i am glad to see you. we are a small family, and lonely. i hope you will stay with us a few days."

"as your guest?" inquired our hero, much surprised.

"yes. that will enable us to transact this business at our leisure."

"i shouldn't think you would invite me to your house," said gilbert, in surprise.

"why not?"

"you think i am an impostor."

"i don't feel sure of that."

"you said so in the city."

"i thought so in the city," said mr. grey, with apparent frankness. "since i returned home i have been turning the matter over in my mind, and i don't feel so certain about it. you may be deceived."

"i know i am not," said gilbert, firmly.

"of course, you think so, my young friend. we won't dispute about it. i only want to find out the truth, and if you can prove your claim beyond any question i will do what is right. but there must be no doubt of it."

"of course, that is fair enough."

"it seemed to me incredible that a son of my brother john should be living, and as he left some property, i thought that you might be playing a sharp game. you mustn't be offended at my plain speaking," he added, with a smile.

"no, sir; certainly not. i am in favor of plain speaking. but i hope you will in time have a more favorable opinion of me."

"i have already, or i would not invite you to become my guest. have you your luggage with you?"

"only a carpet-bag."

"where is that?"

"at the village hotel."

"that is a poor place. you must stay here, and i will send for it."

"i don't know what to say," said gilbert, not yet recovered from his astonishment.

"then i will say for you that you accept without hesitation."

"thank you, sir."

mr. grey rang the bell, and pompey appeared.

"what's wanted, massa?"

"send dick to the hotel for this young gentleman's carpet-bag."

"yes, sar. what name, sar?"

"gilbert grey," answered our hero.

"any 'lation?" asked pompey, with the freedom of a favorite servant.

"mr. grey thinks there is a relationship," said the uncle. "now be off, and tell dick to make haste."

"by the way, though it is early to enter upon business, have you brought old jacob's confession?" asked james grey, in an indifferent tone; but he awaited the answer with a good deal of interest.

"no, sir; that is, not the genuine paper. i have with me a copy."

"that will do as well," said the other, but he could not wholly hide the disappointment in his voice. "let me see it, if you please."

gilbert drew the paper from his pocket and handed it without hesitation to his uncle.

"if you have no objection i will keep this for a while, and look over it in private."

"certainly, sir. you may keep it permanently. i have the other."

"confound you, i know that only too well," thought the uncle, but he only expressed his thanks quietly.

"you probably know nothing of my family," continued james grey, "though as a possible relation, you should do so. my wife is dead, and i have but one child, a boy of about your own age. jasper is seventeen."

"i am about eighteen."

"he does not look at all like you, or me either. he favors his mother's family, being quite dark. i think also he is more like his mother in disposition than like me. i hope you will like him."

"i hope so," said our hero, politely.

"i can't say he altogether pleases me," said james grey. "he is not as obedient and observant of my wishes as he should be. for example, he went to alton yesterday without permission, and lost all his money on hand by gaming. i hope you never gamble, gilbert."

"no, sir, i don't approve of it."

"you are quite right. i foresee you will have a good influence on jasper—i was about to say, on your cousin, jasper—but i will wait till that is proved."

"i will not call him cousin while there remains a doubt."

"quite right. i will give my earliest attention to the matter."

"i hope you will, sir, as i wish to return to cincinnati."

"if you prove yourself to be my brother's son, there will be no need of that, for the greater part of my property will go to you. you will be independent."

"i should be sorry to deprive you of property, sir, though i have no objection to becoming rich."

"of course not. we all want to be rich. i shall not blame you for being my brother's son, if it appears that you are so. how long can you remain with us?"

"i won't set a limit, sir. do you think i can get away in a week?"

"that is a short time."

"i can stay longer if necessary."

"i may need to go to alton, to consult my lawyer. after examining this paper, which, i suppose, is an exact copy of the original?"

"yes, sir, exact."

"he will give me his opinion, which i will at once communicate to you. probably it will not be in my power to go to alton for several days."

"i don't wish to hurry you too much, mr. grey. that will be satisfactory to me."

"very well. now there is one other thing i wish to speak of. of course i can't acknowledge you as my nephew immediately."

"i do not ask it, sir."

"it will be better that your claim to be my nephew should not be made public. i will tell my son, jasper, and ask him to treat you as a cousin. he will, i think, be able to make you pass your time agreeably. but to the servants you will be mr. grey, a distant relative."

"very well, sir, i agree."

"of course, just as soon as your claim is substantiated, there will be no further need of concealment. by the way, do you ride?"

"yes, sir, a little."

"i think you will enjoy exploring the country a little with jasper. you never were in this neighborhood before?"

"no, sir."

"it won't do you any harm to have a little vacation. by the way, how is mr. ferguson, your employer?"

"he is well, sir."

"is he aware of the object of your present journey?"

"yes, sir. he was in favor of my undertaking it."

"for which i don't in the least thank him," said james grey to himself.

there was a little more desultory conversation, which was interrupted by the entrance of pompey with our hero's carpet-bag, which his fellow-servant had brought from the village hotel, if it deserved the name.

"pompey, you may conduct this young gentleman to his room. he may wish to wash before dinner. dinner is at one, mr. grey."

"thank you, sir."

"put him in the blue room, pompey."

"yes, sar."

gilbert followed him up stairs, and into a room finished and furnished throughout in blue. it was comfortable, and even elegant, and our hero saw that he was likely to be well cared for.

"was you a 'lation, sar?" asked pompey, who possessed an inquiring mind, as he put down the bag.

"yes," said gilbert.

"a near 'lation?" asked pompey, continuing his catechism.

"i can't tell you how near," said our hero, in an equivocal manner.

"you must be 'bout massa jasper's age."

"that is what mr. grey says. i have not seen jasper yet."

"he went out ridin'. he's fond of ridin'."

"is he a good rider?"

"pretty good, sar. he thinks he's first-rate," added pompey, laughing. "do you ride, sar?"

"a little."

"maybe you'll ride out with massa jasper?"

"has my—mr. grey got many horses?"

"four, sar. two are carriage horses, and two are for ridin'. but i'm 'ruptin' you, sar. dinner at one o'clock."

"i will be punctual."

"i like his looks," said pompey. "he's better-lookin' than massa jasper. looks like he was better-tempered, too."