robber.

Long before he had formed a plan to rob the house of Mr. Trevlyn. It was
a field that promised well. Mr. Trevlyn, with the idiosyncrasy of age,
had invested most of his fortune in diamonds, and these he kept in a
chamber in his house. His chief delight consisted in gloating over
these precious stones. Night after night he would sit handling his
diamonds, chuckling over his wealth, and threatening imaginary plunderers
with destruction.

So, his servants said, and Sharp repeated the story to Arch with sundry
variations and alterations suited to the case. He had a persuasive
tongue, and it is little wonder that the boy, hating his grandfather as
he did, and resolved as he was upon revenging his father's wrongs, should
fall into the snare. He wanted Mr. Trevlyn to suffer--he did not care
how. If the loss of his diamonds would be to him a severer blow than any
other, then let it fall.

Sharp used many specious arguments to induce Arch to become his
accomplice in robbing the Trevlyn mansion, but the only one which
had any weight was that he could thus revenge his father's wrongs.

"Only assist me, and secure your revenge," said the wily schemer, "and
I will share the spoils with you. There will be enough to enrich us both
for life!"

Arch drew himself up proudly, a fiery red on his cheek, a dangerous gleam
in his dark eye.

"I am no thief, sir! I'd scorn to take a cent from that old man to use