very good
old family yourself, you are able to appreciate such conduct. You
would like me, perhaps, to sign the order for that box of
ancient--cartularies--is not that the proper word for them? And it might
be as well to state why they happen to be wanted--for purposes of family
history."

"Madam, I will at once prepare a memorandum for your signature and your
sister's."

The mind of Mr. Jellicorse was much relieved, although the relief was
not untempered with misgivings. He sat down immediately at an ancient
writing-table, and prepared a short order for delivery, to their
trusty servant Jordas, of a certain box, with the letter C upon it, and
containing title-deeds of Scargate Hall estate.

"I think it might be simpler not to put it so precisely," my lady
Philippa suggested, "but merely to say a box containing the oldest of
the title-deeds, as required for an impending antiquarian research."

Mr. Jellicorse made the amendment; and then, with the prudence of long
practice, added, "The order should be in your handwriting, madam; will
it give you too much trouble just to copy it?" "How can it signify,
if it bears our signatures?" his client asked, with a smile at such
a trifle; however, she sat down, and copied it upon another sheet
of paper. Then Mr. Jellicorse, beautifully bowing, drew near to take
possession of his own handwriting; but the lady, with a bow of even
greater elegance, lifted the cover of the standing desk, and therein
placed both manuscripts; and the lawyer perceived that he could say
nothing.

"How delightful it is to be quit of business!" The hostess now looked
hospitable. "We need not recur to this matter, I do hope. That paper,
whatever it is, will be signed by both of us, and handed over to you,
in your legal head-quarters, to-morrow. We must have the pleasure of
sending you home in the morning, Mr. Jellicorse. We have bought a very
wonderful vehicle, invented for such roads as ours, and to supersede the
jumping-car. It is warranted to traverse any place a horse can
travel, with luxurious ease to the passengers, and safety of no common
description. Jordas will drive you; your horse can trot behind; and you
can send back by it whatever there may be."

Mr. Jellicorse detested new inventions, and objected most strongly to
any experiment made in his own body. However, he would rather die
than plead his time of life in bar, and his faith in the dogman was
unlimited. And now the gentle Mrs. Carnab