elbows on the table and
his chin on his damp palms, while eyes that positively brightened into
an expression of greedy and relentless intelligence were fixed upon his
visitor.

"The case runs thus," said Jason. "Once upon a time there lived, at
an old house in Hampshire called Laughton, a wealthy baronet named St.
John. He was a bachelor, his estates at his own disposal. He had two
nieces and a more distant kinsman. His eldest niece lived with him,--she
was supposed to be destined for his heiress; circumstances needless
to relate brought upon this girl her uncle's displeasure,--she was
dismissed his house. Shortly afterwards he died, leaving to his
kinsman--a Mr. Vernon--his estates, with remainder to Vernon's issue,
and in default thereof, first to the issue of the younger niece, next to
that of the elder and disinherited one. The elder married, and was left
a widow without children. She married again, and had a son. Her second
husband, for some reason or other, conceived ill opinions of his wife.
In his last illness (he did not live long) he resolved to punish the
wife by robbing the mother. He sent away the son, nor have we been able
to discover him since. It is that son whom you are to find."

"I see, I see; go on," said Grabman. "This son is now the remainderman.
How lost? When? What year? What trace?"

"Patience. You will find in this paper the date of the loss and the age
of the child, then a mere infant. Now for the trace. This husband--did
I tell you his name? No? Alfred Braddell--had one friend more intimate
than the rest,--John Walter Ardworth, a cashiered officer, a ruined man,
pursued by bill-brokers, Jews, and bailiffs. To this man we have lately
had reason to believe that the child was given. Ardworth, however, was
shortly afterwards obliged to fly his creditors. We know that he went to
India; but if residing there, it must have been under some new name, and
we fear he is now dead. All our inquiries, at least after this man,
have been fruitless. Before he went abroad, he left with his old tutor a
child corresponding in age to that of Mrs. Braddell's. In this child she
thinks she recognizes her son. All that you have to do is to trace his
identity by good legal evidence. Don't smile in that foolish
way,--I mean sound, bona fide evidence that will stand the fire of
cross-examination; you know what that is! You will therefore find
out,--first, whether Braddell did consign his child to Ardworth, and,
if s