CHAPTER XXXVII. THE TIE BREAKS.

ClaytonremainedatCanemaseveraldaysafterthefuneral.HehadbeenmuchaffectedbythelastchargegivenhimbyNina,thatheshouldcareforherpeopleandthesceneofdistresswhichhewitnessedamongthem,atherdeath,addedtothestrengthofhisdesiretobeofservicetothem. HespentsometimeinlookingoverandarrangingNina'spapers.Hesealedupthelettersofherdifferentfriends,anddirectedtheminordertobereturnedtothewriters,causingHarrytoaddtoeachamemorandumofthetimeofherdeath.HisheartsunkheavilywhenhereflectedhowlittleitwaspossibleforanyonetodoforservantsleftintheuncontrolledpowerofamanlikeTomGordon.Theawfulwordsofhisfather'sdecision,withregardtothepowerofthemaster,neverseemedsodreadfulasnow,whenhewastoseethisunlimitedauthoritypassedintothehandsofonewhosepassionswerehisonlylaw.Herecalled,too,whatNinahadsaidofthespecialbitternessexistingbetweenTomandHarryandhisheartalmostfailedhimwhenherecollectedthattheverystepwhichNina,inhergenerosity,hadtakentosaveLisettefromhislawlessness,hadbeenthemeansofplacingher,withoutremedy,underhispower.Underthecircumstances,hecouldnotbutadmirethecalmnessandfirmnesswithwhichHarrystillcontinuedtodischargehisdutiestotheestatevisitingthosewhowerestillailing,anddoinghisbesttopreventtheirsinkingintoapanicwhichmightpredisposetoanotherattackofdisease.RecollectingthatNinahadsaidsomethingofsomekindofacontract,bywhichHarry'sfreedomwastobesecuredincaseofherdeath,heresolvedtospeakwithhimonthesubject.Astheyweretogetherinthelibrary,lookingoverthepapers,Claytonsaidtohim:— "Harry,istherenotsomekindofcontract,orunderstanding,withtheguardiansoftheestate,bywhichyourlibertywassecuredincaseofthedeathofyourmistress?" "Yes,"saidHarry,"thereissuchapaper.Iwastohavemyfreedomonpayingacertainsumwhichisallpaidintofivehundreddollars." "Iwilladvanceyouthatmoney,"saidClayton,unhesitatingly,"ifthatisallthatisnecessary.Letmeseethepaper." Harryproducedit,andClaytonlookeditover.Itwasaregularcontract,drawninproperform,andwithnocircumstancewantingtogiveitvalidity.Clayton,however,knewenoughofthelawwhichregulatestheconditioninwhichHarrystood,toknowthatitwasofnomoreavailinhiscasethansomuchblankpaper.Hedidnotliketospeakofit,butsatreadingitover,weighingeveryword,anddreadingthemomentwhenheshouldbecalledupontomakesomeremarkconcerningitknowing,ashedid,thatwhathehadtosaymustdashallHarry'shopes,—thehopesofhiswholelife.WhilehewashesitatingaservantenteredandannouncedMr.Jekylandthatgentleman,withabusiness-likedirectnesswhichusuallycharacterizedhism