for she
is a poor devil of a woman--"

"She'll be poor enough before long."

"It can't be any gratification to you running her down."

"Ah, but the justice of the thing."

"Bother. You're talking now to a man of the world. Who can say what
is the justice or the injustice of anything after twenty years of
possession? I have no doubt the codicil did express the old man's
wish,--even from your own story. But of course you are looking for
your market. Now it seems to me that there's a thousand pounds in
your way as clear as daylight."

"I don't see it myself, Mr. Cooke."

"No; but I do. The sort of thing is done every day. You have your
father-in-law's office journal?"

"Safe enough."

"Burn it;--or leave it about in these rooms like;--so that somebody
else may burn it."

"I'd like to see the thousand pounds first."

"Of course you'd do nothing till you knew about that;--nothing except
keeping away from Round and Crook to-morrow. The money would be
forthcoming if the trial were notoriously dropped by next assizes."

Dockwrath sat thinking for a minute or two, and every moment of
thought made him feel more strongly that he could not now succeed in
the manner pointed out by Mr. Cooke. "But where would be the market
you are talking of?" said he.

"I could manage that," said Crabwitz.

"And go shares in the business?"

"No, no; nothing of the sort." And then he added, remembering that he
must show that he had some personal object, "If I got a trifle in the
matter it would not come out of your allowance."

The attorney again sat silent for a while, and now he remained so for
full five minutes, during which Mr. Crabwitz puffed the smoke from
between his lips with a look of supreme satisfaction. "May I ask," at
last Mr. Dockwrath said, "whether you have any personal interest in
this matter?"

"None in the least;--that is to say, none as yet."

"You did not come down here with any view--"

"Oh dear no; nothing of the sort. But I see at a glance that it is
one of those cases in which a compromise would be the most judicious
solution of difficulties. I am well used to this kind of thing, Mr.
Dockwrath."

"It would not do, sir," said Mr. Dockwrath, after some further slight
period of consideration. "It wouldn't do. Round and Crook have all
the dates, and so has Mason too. And the original of that partnership
deed is forthcoming; and they know what witnesses to depend on. No,
sir; I've begun this on public gr