Part 12 (1/2)

My father tapped his silver snuff box gently

”I had hoped as much,” he remarked blandly ”When one is the center of interest, it is always better to be the very center You must learn to know me better, Jason, and then you will understand that I always seek two things I always seek profit and pleasure It seeh I should find them both in such pleasant company”

Then, as if the ain at the shuttered , and leaned down to place another log in the fire

”Coed my uncle ”Let us be serious Your nonchalance and irony have been groith the years Surely you recognize that you have reached the end of your rope I tell you, George, these ”

”Has it ever occurred to you,” returned ?”

My uncle frowned, and then se,” he said, in a voice that dropped almost to a whisper

”You are too fond of life for that Suppose for ayou back to France Just suppose there was a boat in the harbor now,for the tide, with a cabin ready and irons They would ade, for a day, or perhaps two days I know, George They have tolda yawn behind his hand, ”positively you frighten me It is an old sensation and tires ”

Jason's face, red and good-natured always, beca enough,” he said, with an abrupt lack of suavity ”I tell you, once and for all, you are running against forces which are too strong for you--forces, as I have pointed out, that will do anything to gain possession of a certain paper They know you have that paper, George”

My father shrugged his shoulders

”Indeed?” he said ”I hardly admire their perspicacity”

”And they will prevent your disposing of it at any cost I tell you, George, they will stop at nothing--” again his voice dropped to a confidential e,” my uncle concluded

My father raised his eyebrows

”I fearPardon me, if I still must ask--Why are you here?”

Quite suddenly ulara side to his character which I had not till then suspected

”Because I can save your neck, that's why! Though, God knows, you don't seee, I have coive up that paper peacefully and quietly, or else to take the consequences”

Evidently the force he gave his words contrived to drive them home, for my father nodded

”You mean,” he inquired, ”that they propose to take me to France, and have me handed over to justice, a political prisoner?”

”It is what I e, as a man in a plot to kill Napoleon--” then his former kindliness returned--”and we cannot let that happen, can we?”

”Not if we can prevent it,” my father replied ”If the trouble is that I have the paper in o”

Uncle Jason snest smile

”I knew you would understand,” he said, with soh of relief ”I told thee, not to realize when a thing was useless”

My father drew the paper frohtfully

”Yes,” he said slowly ”I suppose I ?” cried my uncle