WEALTH WITHOUT WINGS. 99

 

they retired, it was to pass the night in broken inter-
vals of sleep.

Early on the next morning, Claire called at the
store of Jasper, who received him with cold polite-
ness, and at once came to the matter uppermost in
both their thoughts, by saying—

‘You received my note?” —

‘“‘T did,’ was the reply.

“Well? All right, I suppose ?”

“Fanny is not twelve years of age yet!”

“Tsn’t she? Well, what of that?’ There was
some impatience in the manner of Jasper.

“T agreed to take the care of her until she was
twelve.”’

“¢Well—well—suppose you did? I’m her guar-
dian, and wish to have her now in my own family. If
you agreed to keep her, I did not say that she should
positively remain.”’

“There was a contract signed to that effect,”
firmly replied Claire.

‘A contract! Humph! Are you sure?”

“Very sure. You drew it yourself.”

“Have you a copy of it 2”

“‘T have.”

Jasper seemed thrown aback by this. He had not
forgotten the contract, for all his affected ignorance
thereof. He only hoped that Edward had, through
carelessness, lost his copy. But he was mistaken.

“A contract! A contract?’ said Jasper, as if
communing with his own thoughts. “I do remem-
ber, now, something of the kind. And so there was
a written contract ?”’

“Yes, sir; and I have a copy in your own hand.”