y argument I could think of to induce him to maintain
the clause as I had drawn it, but stating to him plainly the mercenary
motive which was at the bottom of the opposition to my settlement of
the twenty thousand pounds. The knowledge of Sir Percival's affairs
which I had necessarily gained when the provisions of the deed on HIS
side were submitted in due course to my examination, had but too
plainly informed me that the debts on his estate were enormous, and
that his income, though nominally a large one, was virtually, for a man
in his position, next to nothing. The want of ready money was the
practical necessity of Sir Percival's existence, and his lawyer's note
on the clause in the settlement was nothing but the frankly selfish
expression of it.

Mr. Fairlie's answer reached me by return of post, and proved to be
wandering and irrelevant in the extreme. Turned into plain English, it
practically expressed itself to this effect: "Would dear Gilmore be so
very obliging as not to worry his friend and client about such a trifle
as a remote contingency? Was it likely that a young woman of twenty-one
would die before a man of forty five, and die without children? On the
other hand, in such a miserable world as this, was it possible to
over-estimate the value of peace and quietness? If those two heavenly
blessings were offered in exchange for such an earthly trifle as a
remote chance of twenty thousand pounds, was it not a fair bargain?
Surely, yes. Then why not make it?"

I threw the letter away in disgust. Just as it had fluttered to the
ground, there was a knock at my door, and Sir Percival's solicitor, Mr.
Merriman, was shown in. There are many varieties of sharp
practitioners in this world, but I think the hardest of all to deal
with are the men who overreach you under the disguise of inveterate
good-humour. A fat, well fed, smiling, friendly man of business is of
all parties to a bargain the most hopeless to deal with. Mr. Merriman
was one of this class.

"And how is good Mr. Gilmore?" he began, all in a glow with the warmth
of his own amiability. "Glad to see you, sir, in such excellent
health. I was passing your door, and I thought I would look in in case
you might have something to say to me. Do--now pray do let us settle
this little difference of ours by word of mouth, if we can! Have you
heard from your client yet?"

"Yes. Have you heard from yours?"

"My dear, good sir! I wish I had heard from h