he attorneys'
office.

Messrs. Bramshaw and Anderson were greatly struck, and owned that their
own minds were satisfied as to the truth of their client's assertion;
but they demurred as to the possibility of further steps. An action for
forgery, Tom's first hope, he saw to be clearly impossible; Samuel
Axworthy appeared to have signed the cheque in his own name, and he had
every right to it as his uncle's heir; and though the long withholding
of it, as well as his own departure, were both suspicious
circumstances, they were not evidence. Where was there any certainty
that the cheque had ever been in the pocket-book or even if it had, how
did it prove the existence of young Ward's acknowledgment? Might it
not have been in some receptacle of papers hitherto not opened? There
was no sufficient case to carry to the police, after a conviction like
Leonard's, to set them on tracing the cheque either to an unknown
robber, or to Sam Axworthy, its rightful owner.

Mr. Bramshaw likewise dissuaded Dr. May from laying the case before the
Secretary of State, as importunity without due grounds would only tell
against him if any really important discovery should be made: and the
Doctor walked away, with blood boiling at people's coolness to other
folk's tribulations, and greatly annoyed with Tom for having acceded to
the representations of the men of law, and declining all co-operation
in drawing up a representation for the Home Office, on the plea that he
had no time to lose in preparing for his own examination, and must
return to town by the next train, which he did without a syllable of
real converse with any one at home.

The Doctor set to work with his home helpers, assisted by Dr. Spencer;
but the work of composition seemed to make the ground give way under
their feet, and a few adroit remarks from Dr. Spencer finally showed
him and Ethel that they had not yet attained the prop for the lever
that was to move the world. He gave it up, but still he did not quite
forgive Tom for having been so easily convinced, and ready to be
dismissed to his own affairs.

However, Dr. May was gratified by the great credit with which his son
passed his examination, and took his degree; and Sir Matthew Fleet
himself wrote in high terms of his talent, diligence, and steadiness,
volunteering hopes of being able to put him forward in town in his own
line, for which Tom had always had a preference; and adding, that it
was in concurrence with h