er to Craft; "that will secure
you in the payment of the money, provided you fulfil your agreement.
But let me be plain with you. If you are deceiving me or trying to
deceive me, or if you should practise fraud on me, or attempt to do
so, you will surely regret it. And if that child be really in life,
and you have been guilty of any cruelty toward him, of any kind
whatever, you will look upon the world through prison bars, I promise
you, in spite of the money you may obtain from me. Now you understand;
go bring the boy."

The old man did not answer. He was holding the paper close to his
eyes, and going over it word by word.

"Yes," he said, finally; "I suppose it's all right. I'm not very
familiar with written contracts, but I'll venture it."

Burnham had risen again from his chair, and was striding up and down
the floor.

"When will you bring him?" he asked; "to-morrow?"

"My dear sir, do not be in too great haste; I am not gifted with
miraculous powers. I will bring the boy here or take you to him within
two days, as I have agreed."

"Well, then, to-day is Tuesday. Will you have him here by Friday?
Friday morning?"

"By Friday afternoon, at any rate."

The old man was carefully wrapping up the articles he had exhibited,
and putting them back into his hand-bag. Finally, Burnham's attention
was attracted to this proceeding.

"Why," he exclaimed, "what are you doing? You have no right to those
things; they are mine."

"Oh no! they are mine. They shall be given to you some time perhaps;
but, for the present, they are mine."

"Stop! you shall not have them. Those things are very precious to me.
Put them down, I say; put them down!"

"Very well. You may have these or--your boy. If you force these things
from me, you go without your child. Now take your choice."

Old Simon was very calm and firm. He knew his ground, and knew that he
could afford to be domineering. His long experience in sharp practice
had not failed to teach him that the man who holds his temper, in a
contest like this, always has the best of it. And he was too shrewd
not to see that his listener was laboring under an excitement that
was liable at any moment to break forth in passionate speech. He was,
therefore, not surprised nor greatly disturbed when Burnham exclaimed,
vehemently:--

"I'll have you arrested, sir! I'll force you to disclose your secret!
I'll have you punished by the hand of the law!"

"The hand of the law is not laid i