Who that stockholder was we did not know until that day of the
meeting at our office. Then Captain Warren told us."
"But he did not know, either?"
"Not until then. He supposed his Akrae stock worthless, and had
practically forgotten it. When we told him of its value, of the note,
and of the missing shareholder, he knew, of course."
"What did he say?"
"Say? Caroline, he was the most distressed and conscience-stricken man
in the city. One would have thought he was the wrongdoer and not the
wronged. He would have gone straight to you and asked your pardon, if we
would have permitted it."
"But, Mr. Sylvester, now we are coming to the part I cannot understand.
Of course the estate belonged to him, I know that. It is his. But why
didn't he tell Steve and me the truth then, at once? Why did he let us
believe, and employ you to lead us to believe, that it was not he but
someone else? Did he think we would blame him? Why has he--"
"Caroline! Caroline! don't you understand yet? Do you imagine for one
moment that your uncle intends keeping that money?"
She stared at him in utter amazement.
"Keeping it?" she repeated. "Why not? It is his. It belongs to him."
"Caroline, I'm afraid you don't know him, even yet. He was for going to
you at once and destroying the note in your presence.
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