spensed with in barbarous countries, but
not here. The title-deeds and other papers of Scargate Hall were placed
in my custody neither by you nor on your behalf, sir. I hold them
on behalf of those at present in possession; and until I receive due
instructions from them, or a final order from a court of law, I should
be guilty of a breach of trust if I parted with a dog's-ear of them."

"You distinctly refuse my requirements, and defy me to enforce them?"

"Not so, Sir Duncan. I do nothing more than declare what my view of my
duty is, and decline in any way to depart from it."

"Upon that score I have nothing more to say. I did not expect you to
give up the deeds, though in 'barbarous countries,' as you call them, we
have peremptory ways. I will say more than that, Mr. Jellicorse--I will
say that I respect you for clinging to what you must know better than
anybody else to be the weaker side."

The lawyer bowed his very best bow, but was bound to enter protest
against the calm assumption of the claimant.

"Let us leave that question," Sir Duncan said; "the time would fail
us to discuss that now. But one thing I surely may insist upon as
the proper heir of my grandfather. I may desire you to produce for my
inspection that deed in pursuance of his marriage settlement, which has
for so many years lain concealed."

"With pleasure I will do so, Sir Duncan Yordas (presuming that any such
deed exists), upon the production of an order from the Court either of
King's Bench or of Common Pleas."

"In that case you would be obliged to produce it, and would earn no
thanks of mine. But I ask you to lay aside the legal aspect; for no
action is pending, and perhaps never will be. I ask you, as a valued
adviser of the family, and a trustworthy friend to its interests--as a
gentleman, in fact, rather than a mere lawyer--to do a wise and amicable
thing. You can not in any way injure your case, if a law case is to
come of it, because we know all about the deed already. We even have
an abstract of it as clear as you yourself could make, and we have
discovered that one of the witnesses is still alive. I have come to you
myself in preference to employing a lawyer, because I hope, if you meet
me frankly, to put things in train for a friendly and fair settlement.
I am not a young man; I have been disappointed of any one to succeed me,
and I wish to settle my affairs in this country, and return to India,
which suits me better, and where I