am more useful. My sisters have not
behaved kindly to me; but that I must try to forgive and forget. I
have thought matters over, and am quite prepared to offer very liberal
terms--in short, to leave them in possession of Scargate, upon certain
conditions and in a certain manner."

"Really, Sir Duncan," Mr. Jellicorse exclaimed, "allow me to offer you
a pinch of snuff. You are pleased with it? Yes, it is of quite superior
quality. It saved the life of a most admirable fellow, a henchman
of your family--in fact, poor Jordas. The power of this snuff alone
supported him from freezing--"

"At another time I may be highly interested in that matter," the visitor
replied, without meaning to be rude, but knowing that the man of law was
making passes to gain time; "just at present I must ask you to say yes
or no. If you wish me to set my offer plainly before you, and so relieve
the property of the cost of a hopeless struggle--for I have taken the
opinion of the first real property counsel of the age--you will, as a
token of good faith and of common-sense, produce for my inspection that
deed-poll of November 15, 1751."

Poor Mr. Jellicorse was desperately driven. He looked round the room, to
seek for any interruption. He went to the window, and pretended to see
another visitor knocking at the door. But no help came; he must face
it out himself; and Sir Duncan, with his quiet resolution, looked more
stern than his violent father.

"I think that before we proceed any further," said the lawyer, at last
sitting down, and taking up a pen and trying what the nib was like, "we
really should understand a little where we are already. My own desire to
avoid litigation is very strong--almost unprofessionally so--though
the first thing consulted by all of us naturally is the pocket of our
client--"

"Whether it will hold out, I suppose." Sir Duncan Yordas departed from
his dignity in saying this, and was sorry as soon as he had said it.

"That is the vulgar impression about us, which it is our duty to
disdain. But without losing time upon that question, let me ask, what
shall I put down as your proposition, sir?"

"There is nothing to put down. That is just the point. I do not come
here with any formal proposition. If that had been my object, I would
have brought a lawyer. What I say is that I have the right to see that
deed. It forms no part of my sisters' title-deeds, but even destroys
their title. It belongs to me, it is my proper