the eyes of all
Edinburgh; and that, in any case, you helped yourself to his fortune
with precisely as much justification as a burglar who opens a safe. The
matter will then be placed in the hands of Thompson, Gilray, & Young."

This choice of a vindictive rival firm struck Andrew as the most
diabolical artifice of all. His eyes blinked and his cheeks twitched;
and when he spoke his voice reminded them painfully of the professional
mendicant of the pavement.

"Would you ruin me?"

"Ruin be hanged! Your wife has two thousand pounds a year, and you've
got the lion's share of the business. But you've got to shell out every
brass farthing you bagged from your poor dear father, and settle it in
equal shares on Frank and Jean."

Frank made a quick movement of gratitude and protest.

"Shut up," said Heriot jovially. "You mind your own business, Frank.
This is my shout."

"My dear Frank--" his brother began solemnly.

"Andrew!" thundered Heriot, "if you make any miserable whining appeal to
your brother, I'll tell Lucas to kick you. Are you ready, Lucas?"

"Quite," said the artist.

A few minutes later the present head of Walkingshaw & Gilliflower had
appended his signature to the following document (the unaided
composition of the late senior partner in the aforesaid firm):

"I, Andrew Walkingshaw, having the fear of this world and the next
before my eyes, do hereby promise and swear that upon the morning
following the above date of the month and year, at the hour of 10
a.m., I shall formally, legally, and irrevocably settle in equal
shares upon my brother and sister, Frank and Jean Walkingshaw, the
whole estate, real and personal, of my revered father, except such
portion of it inherited and enjoyed by my sisters Margaret
Walkingshaw or Ramornie and Gertrude Walkingshaw or Donaldson, and
my aunt Mary Walkingshaw. This I do for the following consideration:
that through their kindness and charity my despicable,
unsportsmanlike, and criminal conduct may never be revealed. I
humbly and sorrowfully confess that I had my estimable father
aforesaid certified as insane when I knew his brain to be
considerably sounder than my own; that I did this in order to diddle
him and my younger brother and sister out of their money; that
instead of putting him under restraint, I exiled him furth of Great
Britain and Ireland, so that he thereby suffered discomforts and