, and gave it up through
ill health; studied medicine for a time, and is now a chemist and
druggist, residing some hundred yards down the street."

"Exactly so," replied his employer, "you will be good enough to put on
your hat and go and request him to do me the favor to step up here for a
few moments." Nicholas did his master's bidding, and returned shortly,
accompanied by Mr. Crowquill. Mr. Jones, after requesting him to be
seated, and directing his clerk to pay attention, took up the newspaper,
and read, in a clear voice the following advertisement: "To Lawyers and
otters.--If the party who drew the will of the late Sir Jasper Coleman
of Vellenaux, Devonshire, and those who witnessed the same document some
ten years ago, will call at the office of Messrs. Deeds, Chancery, and
Deeds, Solicitors, Gray's Inn Lane, they will be handsomely rewarded for
their trouble." "Now, gentlemen," continued he, "I drew this will, and
you both witnessed it. Do you both remember the circumstance." After a
little reflection they both recollected the circumstance.

"Oh! since you have not forgotten the occurrence, I will show you a
rough draft of the will which I made at the time, and by reading this it
will refresh your memories, and you will be better able to swear to the
real will if it should be produced."

"When do you purpose calling upon the Solicitors?" enquired Crowquill.

"To-morrow morning we will call for you on our road to town," replied
Mr. Jones, politely bowing his visitor out of the office.

CHAPTER XVII.

Of the early history of Sir Lexicon Chutny very little was known. He was
of Dutch extraction that was obvious, had served for a time in the
Madras Civil Service, but on acquiring a large property by the death of
a distant relative, he retired from that service and settled on one of
his plantations in Pallamcotta. How he obtained his title no one knew or
enquired, his relative, now deceased, was so called, and in his will he
directed that his heir should assume his name and rank. He was
thoroughly Indian in his tastes and habits, sensual and self indulgent;
saw very little European society, and report said that he had several
native mistresses, and was reputed very wealthy. He had never married,
for European ladies at that period were rarely to be met with in
Pallamcotta. It must have been business of no ordinary importance to
induce him to leave the land wherein he had been born, to visit Hamburg,
where