"No; but she looked a look. She asked me, with those sweet imploring
eyes, might she have it; and I looked yes. Then she glanced toward you,
and put down a note. Here it is."

"Why, you beat the telegraph, you two! Ten pounds for that thing! I must
make it up to her somehow."

"I wish you could. Poor girl, she is a lady every inch. But she is in
love with that Penfold. I'm afraid it is a hopeless case."

"I have seen a plainer. But hopeless it is not. However, you work your
way, and I'll work mine."

"But you can't; you have no materials."

"No; but I have found a door that may lead to materials."

Having delivered himself thus myteriously, he shut himself up in
obstinate silence until Helen Rolleston called again, two days afterward.
She brought a bag full of manuscript this time--to wit, copies in her own
handwriting of eight reports, the Queen _v._ Penfold. She was in good
spirits, and told Mrs. Undercliff that all the reports were somewhat more
favorable than the two she had left; and she was beginning to tell Mr.
Undercliff he was quite right in his recollection, when he interrupted
her, and said, "All that is secondary now. Have you any objection to
answer me a question?"

She colored; but said, "Oh, no. Ask me anything you like;" then she
blushed deeper.

"How did you become possessed of those two reports you left with me the
other day?"

At this question, so different from what she feared, Helen cleared up and
smiled, and said, "From a Mr. Hand, a clerk in Mr. Wardlaw's office; they
were sent me at my request."

The expert seemed pleased at this reply; his brow cleared, and he said:
"Then I don't mind telling you that those two reports will bring
Penfold's case within my province. To speak plainly, Miss Rolleston, your
newspaper extracts--ARE FORGERIES."

CHAPTER LX.

"FORGERIES!" cried Helen, with innocent horror.

"RANK FORGERIES," repeated the expert coolly.

"Forgeries!" cried Helen. "Why, how can printed things be that?"

"That is what I should like to know," said the old lady.

"Why, what else can you call them?" said the expert. "They are got up to
look like extracts from newspapers. But they were printed as they are,
and were never in any journal. Shall I tell you how I found that out?"

"If you please, sir," said Helen.

"Well, then, I looked at the reverse side, and I found seven misprints in
one slip, and five in the other. That was a great number to creep into
printed s