mr. sharp had now taken the first step towards betraying his client, and was determined not to turn back. having so far committed himself, he felt that policy dictated expedition. should mr. rand suddenly die before he could bring about an interview between him and mr. ford, all would be lost. that interview must take place with the least possible delay.

mr. sharp, accordingly, set out at once for mr. ford’s dwelling.

a moderate walk brought him to the modest lodging of the inventor.

he paused a moment to compose his face to the proper expression of sympathetic regret, and then entering, grasped the hand of mr. ford.

“i sympathize with you sincerely in your misfortune,” he remarked, in a feeling tone, “and it is to me a poignant reflection that it has occurred partly through my means; but i trust your kindness will absolve me from any suspicion of complicity.”

“i do, and have,” said mr. ford, frankly, extending his hand. “from the first, i could not even imagine, mr. sharp, that you had anything to do with it.”

“you only do me justice,” said mr. sharp, wringing the offered hand with affectionate energy; “you only do me justice, sir, and yet i have been culpable; i have been guilty of an indiscretion; i should not have intrusted a note 168which affected your interests, to so unscrupulous a man as blunt. mild as is my temperament,” he continued, with a sudden burst of ferocity, “i do not hesitate to pronounce that man an unmitigated villain.”

he paused a moment to recover himself, and resumed in a different tone, with a look of respectful admiration directed towards helen.

“as soon as i heard the details of this affair from the lips of your charming daughter, whose filial devotion is, i may observe, the most beautiful trait of her character, i hastened here to assure you of my sympathy and assistance. i think i may promise, that your invaluable machinery will be restored to you before night. i can only express my extreme regret that you have been compelled to suspend your labors, even for the space of a few hours.”

“thank you for your kindness,” said mr. ford, gratefully. “i shall always feel that i am deeply indebted to you for your disinterested friendship.”

“sir,” said mr. sharp, visibly affected, “i would, if it were possible, express how much i am gratified by your words; but there are feelings which must be hidden in the heart, and to which no language can do justice. let me say, briefly, that such are my feelings on the present occasion. you have been pleased to refer to the little service which it has been in my power to render you. but, sir, you have no cause for gratitude. it is the interest i feel in the advancement of science, to which you have consecrated your life energies. it is my earnest desire to help forward, in my way, the important discovery which is to hand down your name to future generations.”

“if you will excuse me,” said helen, putting on her bonnet, “i am going out to get something for dinner; and if,” she added, hesitatingly, “mr. sharp would do us the 169favor to sit down with us, papa, i am sure we should be very glad to have him.”

“that is well thought of, helen,” said her father, approvingly. “i shall be very glad to have mr. sharp do so, if he can find sufficient inducement.”

“sufficient inducement!” echoed the lawyer, with the air of a man who had received an invitation to a royal banquet; “i shall be most proud, most happy, to accept your invitation, and that of your charming daughter. unworthy as i feel myself of this distinction, i will yet accept it.”

“unworthy! you, who have to-day shown yourself so truly my friend? it is but a faint expression of our gratitude.”

“you are very kind to say so,” said mr. sharp, with an effusion of feeling. “yet i cannot help feeling that you judge me too favorably. indeed, were it not that i have a revelation of some importance to make to you, i should scarcely venture to accept your invitation.”

“be seated, mr. sharp,” said mr. ford, somewhat surprised at the lawyer’s words; “i shall, of course, feel interested in anything you may have to impart. helen, my dear, you will not be gone long?”

“no, papa.”

she closed the door, and descended the stairs, with her market-basket on her arm.