Besides, his interest in the case is very small compared with yours.
You are to get the lion's share, that is apparent, and you, of course,
are the one to pay the cost. It is necessary that I should have the
money to-night; after to-night it will be too late."
Sharpman arose and began pacing up and down the room. He was inclined
to yield to the man's demand. The Burnham suit was drawing rapidly to
a successful close. If this fellow should go on the witness-stand and
tell his plausible story, the entire scheme might be wrecked beyond
retrieval. But it was very annoying to be bulldozed into a thing in
this way. The lawyer's stubborn nature rebelled against it powerfully.
It would be a great pleasure, he thought, to defy the fellow and turn
him into the street. Then a new fear came to him. What would be the
effect of this man's story, with its air of genuineness, on the mind
of so conscientious a boy as Ralph? He surely could not afford to
have Ralph's faith interfered with; that would be certain to bring
disaster.
He made up his mind at once. Turning quickly on his heel to face his
visitor, he said:--
"I want you to understand that I'm not afraid of you nor of your
story, but I don't want to be bothered with you. Now, I'll tell you
what I'll do. I'll give you one hundred dollars in cash to-night, on
condition that you will leave this town by the first train in the
morning, that you'll not go to Wilkesbarre, that you'll not come back
here inside of a year, and that you'll not mention a word of this
matter to any one so long as you shall live.
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