pare.

"Yours,
"JEREMIAH SMITH.

"Direct to me, Monsieur Smith--always a safe name--Ship Inn, Bullone."

"Jeremiah--Smith--Jeremiah!"

"Do you know the name then?" said Mr. Barlow. "Well; the poor man owns
that he was frightened at his brother--that he wished to do what is
right--that he feared his brother would not let him--that your father
was very kind to him--and so he came off at once to me; and I was very
luckily at home to assure him that the heir was alive, and prepared to
assert his rights. Now then, Mr. Beaufort, we have the witness, but will
that suffice us? I fear not. Will the jury believe him with no other
testimony at his back? Consider!--When he was gone I put myself in
communication with some officers at Bow Street about this brother of
his--a most notorious character, commonly called in the police slang
Dashing Jerry--"

"Ah! Well, proceed!"

"Your one witness, then, is a very poor, penniless man, his brother a
rogue, a convict: this witness, too, is the most timid, fluctuating,
irresolute fellow I ever saw; I should tremble for his testimony against
a sharp, bullying lawyer. And that, sir, is all at present we have to
look to."

"I see--I see. It is dangerous--it is hazardous. But truth is truth;
justice--justice! I will run the risk."

"Pardon me, if I ask, did you ever know this brother?--were you ever
absolutely acquainted with him--in the same house?"

"Many years since--years of early hardship and trial--I was acquainted
with him--what then?"

"I am sorry to hear it," and the lawyer looked grave. "Do you not see
that if this witness is browbeat--is disbelieved, and if it be shown
that you, the claimant, was--forgive my saying it--intimate with a
brother of such a character, why the whole thing might be made to look
like perjury and conspiracy. If we stop here it is an ugly business!"

"And is this all you have to say to me? The witness is found--the only
surviving witness--the only proof I ever shall or ever can obtain,
and you seek to terrify me--me too--from using the means for redress
Providence itself vouchsafes me--Sir, I will not hear you!"

"Mr. Beaufort, you are impatient--it is natural. But if we go to
law--that is, should I have anything to do with it, wait--wait till your
case is good. And hear me yet. This is not the only proof--this is not
the only witness; you forget that there was an examined copy of the
register; we may yet find that