he little fees. Indeed, James, you will see that this practice is common
amongst the most eminent of your profession, when, for instance, they
require an advertisement or wish to pay a delicate compliment to a
constituency. What do they do then? They wait till they find L500 marked
upon a brief, and then resign their fee. Why should you not do the same
in this case, in your own interest? Of course, if we win the cause, the
other side or the estate will pay the costs; and if we lose, you will at
least have had the advantage, the priceless advantage, of a unique
advertisement."

"Very well, John; let it be so," said James, with magnanimity. "Your
check for fees will be duly returned; but it must be understood that they
are to be presented."

"Not at the bank," said John, hastily. "I have recently had to oblige a
client," he added by way of explanation to Eustace, "and my balance is
rather low."

"No," said James; "I quite understand. I was going to say 'are to be
presented to my clerk.'"

And with this solemn farce, the conference came to an end.

CHAPTER XVII.

HOW AUGUSTA WAS FILED.

That very afternoon Eustace returned to Lady Holmhurst's house in
Hanover-square, to tell his dear Augusta that she must attend on the
following morning to be filed in the Registry at Somerset House. As
may be imagined, though willing to go any reasonable length to oblige
her new-found lover, Augusta not unnaturally resisted this course
violently, and was supported in her resistance by her friend Lady
Holmhurst, who, however, presently left the room, leaving them to
settle it as they liked.

"I do think that it is a little hard," said Augusta with a stamp of her
foot, "that, after all that I have gone through, I should be taken off to
have my unfortunate back stared at by a Doctor some one or other, and
then be shut up with a lot of musty old wills in a Registry."

"Well, my dearest girl," said Eustace, "either it must be done or else
the whole thing must be given up. Mr. John Short declares that it is
absolutely necessary that the document should be placed in the custody of
the officer of the Court."

"But how am I going to live in a cupboard, or in an iron safe with a lot
of wills?" asked Augusta, feeling very cross indeed.

"I don't know, I am sure," said Eustace; "Mr. John Short says that that
is a matter which the learned Doctor will have to settle. His own
opinion is that the learned Doctor--confound him!--will o