from his chair with the
exclamation--

"My dear----!" then he stopped.

There was something in the expression of Cuthbert's face that checked
the words on his lips.

"We need not begin with any greetings, Mr. Brander," Cuthbert said,
coldly. "I have come to tell you a story."

"This is a very extraordinary manner of address, Mr. Hartington," the
lawyer said, in a blustering tone, though Cuthbert noticed his color had
paled, and that there was a nervous twitching about the corners of his
lips. Brander had felt there was danger, and the blow had come so
suddenly that he had not had time to brace himself to meet it. Without
paying any attention to the words, Cuthbert seated himself and
repeated--

"I have come to tell you a story, Mr. Brander. There was once a man who
was solicitor, agent, and friend of a certain land-owner. One day he had
heard from his client's doctor that he had had an attack of
heart-disease and that his life was only worth a few weeks' purchase;
also that the landowner desired that an absolute silence should be
observed as to his illness. Then, like another unjust steward, the
lawyer sat down to think how he could best turn an honest penny by the
news. It was rather a tough job; it would involve forgery among other
things, and there was a good deal of risk, but by playing a bold game it
might be managed."

"What do you mean by this?" the lawyer exclaimed, furiously.

"Calm yourself, Mr. Brander. There is no occasion for you to fit the cap
on to your own head yet. If you think there is anything in my story of a
libellous nature you are at liberty to call your two clerks in to listen
to it. Well, sir, the scheme this lawyer I am telling you about worked
out did credit to his genius--it was complicated, bold, and novel. It
happened he was solicitor to a bank. He knew the bank was hopelessly
involved, that it could last but a few weeks longer, and that its
failure would involve the whole of the shareholders in absolute ruin.
If, therefore, he were to contrive to place his client's name on the
register of shareholders that point would be achieved. Accordingly,
having forms by him he filled one up, forging the name of his client. It
would not have done to have had the date of the transfer later than the
seizure of that gentleman, for manifestly no man, aware that he had but
a few days or weeks to live, would have entered on a fresh investment.
He, therefore, ante-dated the transfer by some three we