Chapter 7 The Tramp Makes Another Call

 My readers will naturally be surprised at the tramp's restitution¹ of a coin, which, though counterfeit², he would probably have managed to pass, but this chapter will throw some light on his mysterious conduct.

 

When he made a sudden exit from Mrs. Barclay's house, upon the appearance of the squire³ and his friend, he did not leave the premises⁴, but posted himself at a window, slightly open, of the room in which the widow received her new visitors. He listened with a smile to the squire's attempt to force Mrs. Barclay to sell her house.

 

"He's a sly old rascal⁵!" thought the tramp. "I'll put a spoke⁶ in his wheel."

 

When the squire and his wife's cousin left the house, the tramp followed at a little distance. Not far from the squire's handsome residence Kirk left him, and the tramp then came boldly forward.

 

"Good-evenin'," he said familiarly.

 

Squire Davenport turned sharply, and as his eye fell on the unprepossessing figure, he instinctively⁷ put his hand in the pocket in which he kept his wallet.

 

"Who are you?" he demanded apprehensively⁸.

 

"I ain't a thief, and you needn't fear for your wallet," was the reply.

 

"Let me pass, fellow! I can do nothing for you."

 

"We'll see about that!"

 

"Do you threaten me?" asked Squire Davenport, in alarm.

 

"Not at all; but I've got some business with you--some important business."

 

"Then call to-morrow forenoon," said Davenport, anxious to get rid of his ill-looking acquaintance.

 

"That won't do; I want to leave town tonight."

 

"That's nothing to me."

 

"It may be," said the tramp significantly. "I want to speak to you about the husband of the woman you called on to-night."

 

"The husband of Mrs. Barclay! Why, he is dead!" ejaculated the squire, in surprise.

 

"That is true. Do you know whether he left any property?"

 

"No, I believe not."

 

"That's what I want to talk about. You'd better see me to-night."

 

There was significance in the tone of the tramp, and Squire Davenport looked at him searchingly.

 

"Why don't you go and see Mrs. Barclay about this matter?" he asked.

 

"I may, but I think you'd better see me first."

 

By this time they had reached the Squire's gate.

 

"Come in," he said briefly⁹.

 

The squire led the way into a comfortable sitting room, and his rough visitor followed him. By the light of an astral lamp Squire Davenport looked at him.

 

"Did I ever see you before?" he asked.

 

"Probably not."

 

"Then I don't see what business we can have together. I am tired, and wish to go to bed."

 

"I'll come to business at once, then. When John Barclay died in Chicago, a wallet was found in his pocket, and in that wallet was a promissory note for a thousand dollars, signed by you. I suppose you have paid that sum to the widow?"

 

Squire Davenport was the picture of dismay. He had meanly ignored the note, with the intention of cheating Mrs. Barclay. He had supposed it was lost, yet here, after some years, appeared a man who knew of it. As Mr. Barclay had been reticent¹⁰ about his business affairs, he had never told his wife about having deposited this sum with Squire Davenport, and of this fact the squire had meanly taken advantage.

 

"What proof have you of this strange and improbable story?" asked the squire, after a nervous pause.

 

"The best of proof," answered the tramp promptly¹¹. "The note was found and is now in existence."

 

"Who holds it--that is, admitting for a moment the truth of your story?"

 

"I do; it is in my pocket at this moment."

 

At this moment Tom Davenport opened the door of the apartment, and stared in open-eyed amazement¹² at his father's singular visitor.

 

"Leave the room, Tom," said his father hastily. "This man is consulting me on business."

 

"Is that your son, squire?" asked the tramp, with a familiar nod. "He's quite a young swell¹³."

 

"What business can my father have with such a cad?" thought Tom, disgusted.

 

Tom was pleased, nevertheless, at being taken for "a young swell." 

1 restitution   

n.赔偿；恢复原状

参考例句：

• It's only fair that those who do the damage should make restitution.损坏东西的人应负责赔偿，这是再公平不过的了。
• The victims are demanding full restitution.受害人要求全额赔偿。

2 counterfeit   

vt.伪造，仿造；adj.伪造的，假冒的

参考例句：

• It is a crime to counterfeit money.伪造货币是犯罪行为。
• The painting looked old but was a recent counterfeit.这幅画看上去年代久远，实际是最近的一幅赝品。

3 squire   

n.护卫, 侍从, 乡绅

参考例句：

• I told him the squire was the most liberal of men.我告诉他乡绅是世界上最宽宏大量的人。
• The squire was hard at work at Bristol.乡绅在布里斯托尔热衷于他的工作。

4 premises   

n.建筑物，房屋

参考例句：

• According to the rules,no alcohol can be consumed on the premises.按照规定，场内不准饮酒。
• All repairs are done on the premises and not put out.全部修缮都在家里进行，不用送到外面去做。

5 rascal   

n.流氓；不诚实的人

参考例句：

• If he had done otherwise,I should have thought him a rascal.如果他不这样做，我就认为他是个恶棍。
• The rascal was frightened into holding his tongue.这坏蛋吓得不敢往下说了。

6 spoke   

n.（车轮的）辐条；轮辐；破坏某人的计划；阻挠某人的行动 v.讲，谈（speak的过去式）；说；演说；从某种观点来说

参考例句：

• They sourced the spoke nuts from our company.他们的轮辐螺帽是从我们公司获得的。
• The spokes of a wheel are the bars that connect the outer ring to the centre.辐条是轮子上连接外圈与中心的条棒。

7 instinctively   

adv.本能地

参考例句：

• As he leaned towards her she instinctively recoiled. 他向她靠近，她本能地往后缩。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• He knew instinctively where he would find her. 他本能地知道在哪儿能找到她。 来自《简明英汉词典》

8 apprehensively   

adv.担心地

参考例句：

• He glanced a trifle apprehensively towards the crowded ballroom. 他敏捷地朝挤满了人的舞厅瞟了一眼。 来自辞典例句
• Then it passed, leaving everything in a state of suspense, even the willow branches waiting apprehensively. 一阵这样的风过去，一切都不知怎好似的，连柳树都惊疑不定的等着点什么。 来自汉英文学 - 骆驼祥子

9 briefly   

adv.简单地，简短地

参考例句：

• I want to touch briefly on another aspect of the problem.我想简单地谈一下这个问题的另一方面。
• He was kidnapped and briefly detained by a terrorist group.他被一个恐怖组织绑架并短暂拘禁。

10 reticent   

adj.沉默寡言的；言不如意的

参考例句：

• He was reticent about his opinion.他有保留意见。
• He was extremely reticent about his personal life.他对自己的个人生活讳莫如深。

11 promptly   

adv.及时地，敏捷地

参考例句：

• He paid the money back promptly.他立即还了钱。
• She promptly seized the opportunity his absence gave her.她立即抓住了因他不在场给她创造的机会。

12 amazement   

n.惊奇，惊讶

参考例句：

• All those around him looked at him with amazement.周围的人都对他投射出惊异的眼光。
• He looked at me in blank amazement.他带着迷茫惊诧的神情望着我。

13 swell   

vi.膨胀，肿胀；增长，增强

参考例句：

• The waves had taken on a deep swell.海浪汹涌。
• His injured wrist began to swell.他那受伤的手腕开始肿了。