ur own head."

"Honor!" said Jaspar, with something like a smile, but more like a
sneer.

With compressed lips, and the scowl of a demon, Jaspar witnessed the
departure of the overseer. His case looked desperate, and he felt
something like the gloominess of despair. Dalhousie could be disposed
of, but the niece!--the niece, if she yet lived, would be the
destruction of all his avaricious schemes.

As usual when agitated, he paced the room; and, as he reflected upon the
danger, and the desperate remedies which suggested themselves, his
manner grew more and more demoniacal. He resolved to trust no man. This
was a dark thought, and could proceed only from the darkest mind.

The twenty thousand dollars he could pay; but the man who had such a
hold upon him would never be satisfied while a dollar remained. And
revenge was sweet! No! Dalhousie must not be _bought_ off! It was a
feast to his mind to anticipate the torture of the overseer!

An exclamation of satisfaction escaped him, as he suddenly decided upon
the means of torture. In imagination he could see before him _the
thing_, who had dared to threaten him, lingering out the moments of a
hated life in slow agony. The vision was one of pleasure, and he rubbed
his hands with delight.

The means of accomplishing his dark purpose then came up for
consideration, and in this connection he happened to think of De Guy. He
must be the minister of his vengeance, and the herald of his future
safety; and he summoned him again to his presence.

CHAPTER XXVI.

"Thou hast stepped in between me and my hopes,
And ravished from me all my soul held dear." ROWE.

De Guy returned to the library at Jaspar's summons. The shrewd attorney
at once perceived the conflict which agitated the mind of his patron. He
had come to Bellevue with a purpose, and, as Jaspar's disturbed mind
seemed to favor that purpose, he hailed it as an omen of success. But
what had so agitated him? Jaspar was not a man to be depressed by any
trivial circumstance.

The attorney did not have to wait long in suspense, for Jaspar related
the particulars of his interview with Dalhousie, and mentioned the price
he had named to insure his silence. It was now De Guy's turn to be
disturbed. The purpose for which he had come was likely to be thwarted
by this new aspirant for a share in the Dumont estates.

"What is to be done?" said Jaspar, in a tone which betrayed his deep
anxiety.

"Get rid of h