got up to take the large brown envelope Mark
produced in the doorway. "The dates on these documents, used as
standards by the document examiners, are more recent." Smugly, he
handed copies of these documents to each of the panel members and then
to Diana, keeping one set for himself.

"These documents appear to be copies from personnel files," observed
Diana, looking at the chair for confirmation.

"Yes," Henry confirmed. "They were taken from your personnel file and
sent by the university attorney to use as standards."

"Then I would like to see the release I signed so that this material
could be removed from my file," demanded Trenchant.

"Release? No release was necessary," Henry looked puzzled and frowned
with annoyance.

"Mr. Chairman, you have made note several times that this termination
hearing is justified by a certain paragraph in the faculty handbook,"
Diana replied firmly. "In that same handbook, there is a paragraph
stating that no material shall be removed from a faculty person's file
without the permission of that person. If you have a handbook here, I
will find the exact wording and read it to you."

"Oh, I know what you are referring to and that does not apply in this
case," Henry ruled quickly and then turned to the panel and said, "We
must get on with it. Are these your handwriting?"

"I don't know. These are copies. Copies are suspicious."

Anuse interjected demanding to know why.

Diana explained to him that she had done a great deal of research,
since she had first been charged, into document examination.
Accomplished document examiners insist on original, authentic
standards. Except for a couple, all of these so-called standards are
copies. In addition, as you will recall from her answer to the
questions I asked her, the examiner you engaged admitted that she did
not know of her own knowledge that I had written the standards she used.

"A competent examiner would have the person in question write the
standards in his or her presence. That way the analyst is unbiased,
and can swear that the standards are authentic.

"I also learned that one should never identify copies as one's writing
because copies may be altered and recopied so the alterations do not
show."

"Now these came from the administration and you certainly can't think
that any alteration went on," scoffed Anuse.

"I certainly can think it's possible. Just as I know it's possible to
forge handwriting so even t