ing
Matthew, and indicating Mr. Tatt, "was only entered into to forward the
purpose you have just mentioned to me, I beg to inform you (denying,
you will understand, at the same time, your right to ask for such
information) that you may wind up matters with your solicitor whenever
you please. The late Miss Grice has left neither letters nor papers. I
destroyed them all, by her own wish, in her own presence, and under her
own written authority, during her last illness. My head clerk here, who
was present to assist me, will corroborate the statement, if you wish
it."

Mat listened attentively to these words, but listened to nothing more.
A sturdy legal altercation immediately ensued between the two
solicitors--but it hardly reached his ears. Mr. Tatt took his arm, and
led him out, talking more fluently than ever; but he had not the poorest
trifle of attention to bestow on Mr. Tatt. All his faculties together
seemed to be absorbed by this one momentous consideration: Had he really
and truly lost the last chance of tracing Arthur Carr?

When they got into the High Street, his mind somewhat recovered its
freedom of action, and he began to feel the necessity of deciding at
once on his future movements. Now that his final resource had failed
him, what should he do next? It was useless to go back to Bangbury,
useless to remain at Dibbledean. Yet the fit was on him to be moving
again somewhere--better even to return to Kirk Street than to remain
irresolute and inactive on the scene of his defeat.

He stopped suddenly; and saying--"It's no good waiting here now; I shall
go back to London;" impatiently shook himself free of Mr. Tatt's arm
in a moment. He found it by no means so easy, however, to shake himself
free of Mr. Tatt's legal services. "Depend on my zeal," cried this
energetic solicitor, following Matthew pertinaciously on his way to the
station. "If there's law in England, your identity shall be proved and
your rights respected. I intend to throw myself into this case, heart
and soul. Money, Justice, Law, Morality, are all concerned--One moment,
my dear sir! If you must really go back to London, oblige me at any
rate, with your address, and just state in a cursory way, whether you
were christened or not at Dibbledean church. I want nothing more
to begin with--absolutely nothing more, on my word of honor as a
professional man."

Willing in his present mood to say or do anything to get rid of his
volunteer solicitor, M