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Great ferreter as he was, he had discovered former servants of the Duchess of Norfolk, that were ready, for consideration of threats, to swear that they had seen the Lady Katharine when a child in her grandmother's house to be over familiar with one Francis Dearham. He himself had these witnesses earmarked and attainable, and he was upon the point of offering them to Privy Seal.
"It's possible he'll put you out of Bank-end cottage soon." "Do you ken that?" Shanks asked with a start. "I heard something of the kind. Dearham meant to let your father have the cottage, but said nothing about your getting it, and he's tired of you both. You are letting Bank-end go to ruin and people complain about your poaching." Shanks's sullen look changed to a savage frown.
Bernard Dearham did not smile politely, as Mrs. Mordaunt smiled; he laughed because he was amused. Carrie did not know much about English people, but the dinner was obviously a formal acknowledgment of the new owner of Langrigg; and she studied her host. She had at first remarked a puzzling likeness to somebody she knew, and now she saw it was Jim.
"If you have struck us for supper, you can see the cook." "I came to see you, and got supper three or four miles back. I'm Dearham, of Winter & Dearham. You have probably heard about us." "Sure," said Martin, rather dryly. "You hold the contract for the new telegraph line. Somebody told me there was a dame in the firm."
Jake picked up the newspaper and they were silent for a few moments. Then Carrie asked: "What are you going to do about it?" "To begin with, I'll write to the lawyers at Montreal," said Jim, who knitted his brows. "After that I don't know. The advertisement is cautious, but it looks as if Joseph Dearham was dead. I don't think my father expected to inherit his property. It's puzzling."
"I reckon that wouldn't stop you if you resolved to dyke the marsh. You didn't get much money when you got the estate?" "I did not. I understand Joseph Dearham was not rich, and when he found his health was breaking down he gave some money to his relations. People here try to get out of the inheritance duties like that; besides, he had not meant to give my father much.
Mordaunt thought the fellow did not exaggerate. Shanks and his father would find no place in organized industry. They belonged to the open spaces, the wide marsh and the wet sands. "Then it's lucky I and not the gamekeeper caught you to-night," he said. "Mr. Dearham is waiting for an excuse to turn you out. I Imagine you will soon give him one." Shanks did not reply.
When he put the car into the garage a man was cleaning a limousine. "I'm afraid I have given you another job," Mordaunt said. "You haven't got the big car properly polished yet." "She got very wet when I took Mr. Dearham to town." "It was a bad day. Did he keep you waiting in the rain?" "I was outside the lawyers' office for an hour," the man replied. Mordaunt frowned as he went to the house.
Presently Dick picked up a book and saw it was the old French romance from which Mordaunt had read a passage at the telegraph shack. He opened it carelessly and then started when he saw, Franklin Dearham, written in faded ink, on the first blank page. He looked across at Mordaunt and hesitated, with a vague suspicion in his mind.
Still I had, so to speak, got the place; I could see it. I wonder whether one remembers things one's parents knew." "It doesn't look possible," Carrie replied. "But do you know your father's people?" "I don't," said Jim, with a touch of dryness. "There was a Joseph Dearham who lived at Langrigg. I imagine he was my grandfather, but he and the others left my father alone and we cut out the lot."
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