were poor and useless enough, with one ex- I don't believe he would ever have done it, ception. That exception was Mr. Frank though, but for one lucky peculiarity in the Gatliffe, son of Mr. Gatliffe, member for the case. The governess's father was a man of county, the richest man and the proudest for good family-pretty nigh as good as Gatliffe's - many a mile round about our parts. Stop a own. He had been in the army; had sold bit! you man in the corner there; you out; set up as a wine-merchant-failed-died: needn't perk up and look knowing. You ditto his wife, as to the dying part of it. No won't trace any particulars by the name of relation, in fact, left for the squire to make Gatliffe. I'm not bound to commit myself or inquiries about but the father's sister; who anybody else by mentioning names. I have had behaved, as old Gatliffe said, like a thorgiven you the first that came into my head. ough-bred gentlewoman in shutting the door. Well! Mr. Frank was a staunch friend of against Mr. Frank in the first instance. So, mine, and ready to recommend me whenever to cut the matter short, things were at last he got the chance. I had given him a little made up pleasant enough. The time was timely help-for a consideration, of course-fixed for the wedding, and an announcement in borrowing money at a fair rate of interest: about it-Marriage in High Life and all that in fact I had saved him from the Jews. The put into the county paper. There was a money was borrowed while Mr. Frank was at regular biography, besides, of the governess's college. He came back from college, and father, so as to stop people from talking; a stopped at home a little while and then great flourish about his pedigree, and a long there got spread about all our neighborhood, account of his services in the army; but not a report that he had fallen in love, as the a word, mind ye, of his having turned winesaying is, with his young sister's governess, merchant afterwards. Oh, no-not a word and that his mind was made up to marry about that! I knew it, though, for Mr. Frank her. What! you're at it again, my man in told me. He hadn't a bit of pride about him. the corner! You want to know her name, He introduced me to his future wife one day don't you? What do you think of Smith? when I met them out walking, and asked me Speaking as a lawyer, I consider Report, in if I did not think he was a lucky fellow. I a general way, to be a fool and a liar. But in don't mind admitting that I did, and that I this case report turned out to be something told him so. Ah! but she was one of my very different. Mr. Frank told me he was sort, was that governess. Stood, to the best really in love, and said upon his honor (an of my recollection, five foot four. Good lis absurd expression which young chaps of his som figure, that looked as if it had never age are always using) he was determined to been boxed up in a pair of stays. Eyes that marry Smith the governess-the sweet darl- made me feel as if I was under a pretty stiff ing girl as he called her; but I'm not senti- cross-examination the moment she looked at mental, and I call her Smith the governess me. Fine red, fresh, kiss-and-come-again sort, (with an eye, of course, to refreshing the of lips. Cheeks and complexionNo, my memory of my friend in the corner). Mr. man in the corner, you wouldn't identify her Frank's father, being as proud as Lucifer, by her cheeks and complexion, if I drew you said "No" as to marrying the governess, a picture of them this very moment. She has when Mr. Frank wanted him to say "Yes." had a family of children since the time I'm He was a man of business, was old Gatliffe, talking of; and her cheeks are a trifle fatter and he took the proper business course. He and her complexion is a shade or two redder, sent the governess away with a first-rate char- now, than when I first met her out walking acter and a spanking present; and then he with Mr. Frank. looked about him to get something for Mr. The marriage was to take place on a Frank to do. While he was looking about, Wednesday. I decline mentioning the year Mr. Frank bolted to London after the gover-or the month. I had started as an attorney ness, who had nobody alive belonging to her on my own account-say six weeks, more or but an aunt her father's sister. The aunt less, and was sitting alone in my office on refuses to let Mr. Frank in without the squire's the Monday morning before the wedding-day, permission. Mr. Frank writes to his father, trying to see my way clear before me and and says he will marry the girl as soon as he not succeeding particularly well, when Mr. is of age, or shoot himself. Up to town comes Frank suddenly bursts in, as white as any the squire, and his wife, and his daughter; ghost that ever was painted, and says he's and a lot of sentimentality, not in the slight- got the most dreadful case for me to advise est degree material to the present statement, on, and not an hour to lose in acting on my takes place among them; and the upshot of advice. it is that old Gatliffe is forced into withdrawing the word No, and substituting the word Yes.

"Is this in the way of business, Mr. Frank?" says I, stopping him just as he was beginning to get sentimental. "Yes or no,

Mr. Frank?" rapping my new office paper- went wrong with him from the first. His knife on the table to pull him up short all the clerk, it was strongly suspected, cheated him

sooner.

แ

My dear fellow"-he was always familiar with me "it's in the way of business, certainly; but friendship

I was obliged to pull him up short again and regularly examine him as if he had been" in the witness-box, or he would have kept me talking to no purpose half the day.

"Now, Mr. Frank," said I, "I can't have any sentimentality mixed up with business matters. You please to stop talking, and let me ask questions. Answer in the fewest words you can use. Nod, when nodding will do instead of words."

I fixed him with my eye for about three seconds, as he sat groaning and wriggling in his chair. When I'd done fixing him, I gave another rap with my paper-nnife on to the table to startle him up a bit. When I went

on.

Davager," says he.

"Davager," says I, making a note of it. Go on, Mr. Frank."

66

His affairs got more and more entangled," says Mr. Frank; "he was pressed for money in all directions; bankruptcy, and consequent dishonor (as he considered it), stared him in the face. His mind was so affected by his troubles that both his wife and daughter, towards the last, considered him to be hardly responsible for his own acts. In this state of desperation and misery, he" Here Mr. Frank began to hesitate.

We have two ways in the law, of drawing evidence off nice and clear from an unwilling client or witness. We give him a fright or we treat him to a joke. I treated Mr. Frank to a joke.

"Ah!" says I. "I know what he did. He had a signature to write; and by the most natural mistake in the world, he wrote another gentleman's name instead of his own-eh?”

"It was to a bill," says Mr. Frank, looking very crestfallen, instead of taking the joke. "His principal creditor wouldn't wait till he could raise the money, or the greater part of it. But he was resolved, if he sold off everything, to get the amount and repay

The

"From what you have been stating up to the present time," says I, "I gather that you are in a scrape which is likely to interfere seriously with your marriage on Wednesday?" (He nodded, and I cut in again before he could say a word.) "The scrape affects the young lady you are about to marry, and goes back to the period of a certain transaction in which her late father was engaged some years ago?" (He nods, and I cut in once more.) There is a party who turned up after seeing the announcement of your marriage in the paper, who is cognizant of what he ought n't to know, and who is prepared to use his knowl- "Before even the first attempt was made edge of the same, to the prejudice of the to negotiate the bill. He had done the whole young lady and of your marriage, unless he thing in the most absurdly and innocently receives a sum of money to quiet him? Very wrong way. The person whose name he had well. Now, first of all, Mr. Frank, state what used was a staunch friend of his, and a relayou have been told by the young lady her- tion of his wife's: a good man as well as a rich self about the transaction of her late father. one. He had influence with the chief creditHow did you first come to have any knowl-or, and he used it nobly. He had a real afedge of her?” fection for the unfortunate man's wife, and he proved it generously."

"Of course!" says I. Drop that. forgery was discovered. When?"

"Come to the point," says I. "What did he do? In a business way, what did he do?"

"He put the false bill into the fire, drew a bill of his own to replace it, and then-only then-told my dear girl and her mother all that had happened. Can you imagine anything nobler?" asks Mr. Frank.

She was talking to me about her father one day, so tenderly and prettily, that she quite excited my interest about him," begins Mr. Frank; " and I asked her, among other things, what had occasioned his death. She said she believed it was distress of mind in the first instance; and added that this distress was connected with a shocking secret, which she and her mother had kept from everybody, but which she could not keep from me, be- Speaking in my professional capacity, I cause she was determined to begin her mar- can't imagine anything greener!" says I.ried life by having no secrets from her hus-" Where was the father? Off, I band." Here Mr. Frank began to get senti- "Ill in bed," said Mr. Frank, coloring.mental again; and I pulled him up short once" But he mustered strength enough to write a more with the paper knife. contrite and grateful letter the same day, "She told me," Mr. Frank went on, "that promising to prove himself worthy of the nothe great mistake of her father's life was his ble moderation and forgiveness extended to selling out of the army and taking to the wine him, by selling off everything he possessed to trade. He had no talent for business; things repay his money debt. He did sell off every

suppose

?"

thing, down to some old family pictures that young lady to whom you are to be married on were heirlooms; down to the little plate he Wednesday will inform you of the nature of the had; down to the very tables and chairs that letter, and the genuineness of the autograph. If furnished his drawing room. Every farthing you refuse to deal, I shall send a copy to the local of the debt was paid; and he was left to begin father with the original curiosity, on the afternoon paper, and shall wait on your highly respected the world again, with the kindest promises of of Tuesday next. Having come down here on help from the generous man who had forgiven family business, I have put up at the family hotel him. It was too late. His crime of one rash-being to be heard of at the Gatliffe Arms. moment-atoned for though it had beenpreyed upon his mind. He became possessed with the idea, that he had lowered himself for ever in the estimation of his wife and daughter, and-"

"He died," I cut in. "Yes, yes, we know that. Let's go back for a minute to the contrite and grateful letter that he wrote. My experience in the law, Mr. Frank, has convinced me that if everybody burnt everybody else's letters, half the courts of justice in this country might shut up shop. Do you happen to know whether the letter we are now speaking of contained anything like an avowal or confession of the forgery?"

"Of course it did," says he. "Could the writer express his contrition properly without making some such confession?"

"Quite easy, if he had been a lawyer," says I. "But never mind that; "I'm going to make a guess,-a desperate guess, mind. Should I be altogether in error," says I, "if I thought that this letter had been stolen; and that the fingers of Mr. Davager, of suspicious commercial celebrity, might possibly be the fingers which took it?" says I.

That is exactly what I tried to make you understand," cried Mr. Frank.

"How did he communicate that interesting fact to you?"

"He has not ventured into my presence. The scoundrel actually had the audacity-" "Aha!" says I. "The young lady herself! Sharp practitioner, Mr. Davager."

66

Early this morning, when she was walking alone in the shrubbery," Mr. Frank goes on, "he had the assurance to approach her, and to say that he had been watching his opportunity of getting a private interview for days past. He then showed her actually showed her her unfortunate father's letter; put into her hands another letter directed to me; bowed, and walked off; leaving her half dead with astonishment and terror!"

"It was much better for you that you were not," says I. "Have you got that other letter?

He handed it to me. It was so extremely humorous and short, that I remember every word of it at this distance of time. It began in this way::

"To Francis Gatliffe, Esq., Jun.-Sir,-I have an extremely carious autograph letter to sell. The price is a Five hundred pound note. The

Your very obedient servant,

"ALFRED DAVAGER."

"A clever fellow, that," says I, putting the letter into my private drawer.

"Clever!" cries Mr. Frank, "he ought to be horse whipped within an inch of his life. I would have done it myself, but she made me promise, before she told me a word of the matter, to come straight to you.”

That was one of the wisest promises you ever made," says I. "We can't afford to bully this fellow, whatever else we may do with him. Don't think I am saying anything libellous against your excellent father's character when I assert that if he saw the letter he would certainly insist on your marriage being put off, at the very least?"

Feeling as my father does about my marriage, he would insist on its being dropped altogether, if he saw this letter," says Mr. Frank, with a groan. "But even that is not the worst of it. The generous, noble girl herself says, that if the letter appears in the paper, with all the unanswerable comments this scoundrel would be sure to add to it, she would rather die than hold me to my engage ment-even if my father would let me keep it." He was a weak young fellow, and ridiculously fond of her. I brought him back to business with another rap of the paper knife. "Hold Mr. Frank," says I. up, I have a question or two more. Did you think of asking the young lady whether, to the best of her knowledge, this infernal letter was the only written evidence of the forgery now in existence?"

Yes, I did think directly of asking her that," says he: " and she told me she was quite certain that there was no written evidence of the forgery, except that one letter."

"Will you give Mr. Davager his price for says I.

it?
"Yes," says Mr. Frank, as quick as lightning.
My Frank," says I, "you come here to
get my help and advice in this extremely tick-
lish business, and you are ready, as I know,
without asking, to remunerate me for all and
any of my services at the usual professional
rate. Now, I've made up my mind to act
boldly-desperately if you like on the hit or
miss-win-all-or-lose-all principle-in dealing
with this matter. Here is my proposal. I'm
going to try if I can't do Mr. Davager out of
his letter. If I don't succeed before to-mor-

row afternoon, you hand him the money, and guard I ever saw in my life was Mr. Alfred I charge you nothing for professional services. Davager. He had greasy white hair and a If I do succeed, I hand you the letter instead mottled face. He was low in the forehead, fat of Mr. Davager; and you give me the money in the stomach, hoarse in the voice, and weak instead of giving it to him. It's a precious in the legs. Both his eyes were bloodshot, and risk for me, but I'm ready to run it. You one was fixed in his head. He smelt of spirits, must pay your five hundred any way. What and carried a toothpick in his mouth. "How do you say to my plan? Is it, yes-Mr. are you? I've just done dinner," says he Frank-or no?" and he lights a cigar, sits down with his legs crossed, and winks at me.

"Hang your questions!" cries Mr. Frank, jumping up; "you know it's yes, ten thousand times over. Only you earn the money and

I tried at first to take the measure of him in a wheedling, confidential way; but it was no good. I asked him in a facetious, smiling "And you will be too glad to give it to me. manner, how he had got hold of the letter. Very good. Now go home. Comfort the He only told me, in answer, that he had been young lady-don't let Mr. Davager so much in the confidential employment of the writer as set eyes on you-keep quiet-leave every-of it, and that he had always been famous thing to me--and feel as certain as you please since infancy, for a sharp eye to his own inthat all the letters in the world can't stop terests. I paid him some compliments; but your being married on Wednesday." With he was not to be flattered. I tried to make these words, I hustled him off out of the office; him lose his temper; but he kept it in spite for I wanted to be left alone to make my of me. It ended in his driving me to my mind up about what I should do. last resource - I made an attempt to frighten

The first thing, of course, was to have a him. look at the enemy. I wrote to Mr. Davager, "Before we say a word about the money," telling him that I was privately appointed to I began, "let me put a case, Mr. Davager. arrange the little business matter between himself and "another party" (no names!) on friendly terms; and begging him to call on me at his earliest convenience. At the very beginning of the case, Mr. Davager bothered

me.

His answer was that it would not be convenient to him to call till between six and seven in the evening. In this way, you see, he contrived to make me lose several precious hours, at a time when minutes almost were of importance. I had nothing for it but to be patient, and to give certain instructions, before Mr. Davager came, to my boy Tom.

There was never such a sharp boy of fourteen before, and there never will be again, as my boy, Tom. A spy to look after Mr. Davager was, of course, the first requisite in a case of this kind; and Tom was the smallest, quickest, quietest, sharpest, stealthiest, little snake of a chap that ever dogged a gentleman's steps and kept cleverly out of range of a gentleman's eyes. I settled it with the boy that he was not to show at all, when Mr. Davager came; and that he was to wait to hear me ring the bell, when Mr. Davager left. If I rang twice, he was to show the gentleman out. If I rang once, he was to keep out of the way and follow the gentleman wherever he went, till he got back to the inn. Those were the only preparations I could make to begin with; being obliged to wait, and let myself be guided by what turned up.

The pull you have on Mr. Francis Gatliffe is, that you can hinder his marriage on Wednes day. Now suppose I have got a magistrate's warrant to apprehend you, in my pocket. Suppose I have a constable to execute it, in the next room? Suppose I bring you up to-morrow— -the day before the marriage-charge you only generally with an attempt to extort money, and apply for a day's remand to complete the case? Suppose, as a suspicious stranger, you can't get bail in this town. Suppose

66

Stop a bit," says Mr. Davager; "Suppose I should not be the greenest fool that ever stood in shoes? Suppose I should not carry the letter about me? Suppose I should have given a certain envelope to a certain friend of mine, in a certain place in this town? Suppose the letter should be inside that envelope, directed to old Gatliffe, side by side with a copy of the letter, directed to the editor of the local paper? Suppose my friend should be instructed to open the envelope, and take the letters to their right addressed, if I don't appear to claim them from him this evening? In short, my dear sir, suppose you were born yesterday, and suppose I wasn't?"-says Mr. Davager, and winks at me again.

He didn't take me by surprise, for I never expected that he had the letter about him.— I made a pretence of being very much taken aback, and of being quite ready to give in.About a quarter to seven my gentleman We settled our business about delivering the In the profession of the law, we get letter, and handing over the money, in no somehow quite remarkably mixed up with ugly time. I was to draw out a document, which people, blackguard people, and dirty people. he was to sign. He knew the document was But far away the ugliest and dirtiest black- stuff and nonsense, just as well as I did; and

came.