You have no further power to hurt." "You may find yourself mistaken in regard to my power," replied Martin as he made a movement toward the door, and threw back upon the merchant a side-glance of the keenest malignity.

"Many a foot has been stung by the reptile it spurned." The word "stay" came not to Jasper's lips.

He was fully in earnest.
Martin paused, with his hand on the door, and said-- "One hundred dollars will do." "Not a copper, if it were to save you from the nether regions!" cried Jasper, his anger and indignation o'erleaping the boundaries of self-control.
He was alone in the next moment.

As his excitement cooled down, he felt by no means indifferent to the consequences which might follow this rupture with Martin.

More than one thought presented itself, which, if it could have been weighed calmly a few minutes before, would have caused a slightly modified treatment of his unwelcome visitor.
But having taken his position, Jasper determined to adhere to it, and brave all consequences.
While Claire was yet seated at the breakfast-table on the next morning, word was brought that a gentleman was in the parlour and wished to see him.
On entering the parlour, he found there a man of exceedingly ill appearance, both as to countenance and apparel.
"My name is Martin," said this person--"though you do not, I presume, know me." Claire answered that he was to him an entire stranger.
"I have," said the man, speaking in a low, confidential tone of voice, "became cognisant of certain facts, which it much concerns you, or at least your adopted daughter, Fanny Elder, to know." For a few moments, Claire was overcome with surprise.
"Concerns Fanny Elder to know! What do you mean, sir ?" "Precisely what I say.