re
amazed at their having overlooked, and still more at its having escaped
the notice of Mr. Tresayle, Mr. Mortmain, and Mr. Frankpledge. Mr. Quirk
hurried with the opinion to the first two of these gentlemen; and after
a long interview with each, they owned their fears that Mr. Subtle was
right, and that the defect seemed incurable; but they easily satisfied
their agitated clients, that _they_--the aforesaid Messrs. Tresayle and
Mortmain--had been guilty of neither oversight nor ignorance, inasmuch
as the matter in question was one of _evidence_ only--one which a _nisi
prius_ lawyer, with a full detail of "proofs" before him, could hardly
fail to light upon--but which, it would be found, had been _assumed_,
and _taken for granted_, in the cases laid before conveyancers. They
promised, however, to turn it over in their minds, and to let Messrs.
Quirk and Gammon know if anything occurred to vary their impression. A
week elapsed, however, and Mr. Tresayle and Mr. Mortmain preserved an
ominous silence. As for Frankpledge, he had a knack, somehow or another,
of always coming to the conclusion wished and hoped for by his clients;
and, after prodigious pains, he wrote a very long opinion, to show that
there was nothing in the objection. Neither Mr. Quirk nor Mr. Gammon
could understand the process by which Mr. Frankpledge arrived at such a
result; but, in despair, they laid his opinion before Mr. Subtle, in the
shape of a further "Case for his Opinion." It was in a few days' time
returned to them, with only a line or two--thus:--

"I see no reason whatever to depart from the view I have already
taken of this case.--J. S."

Here was something like a dead lock, indeed!

"We're _done_, Gammon!" said Quirk, with a dismayed air. Gammon seemed
lost, and made no answer.

"Does anything--eh?" quoth Quirk, with a troubled air. "_Any_thing occur
to you? Gammon, I _will_ say this for you--you're a long-headed fellow!"
Still Gammon spoke not.

"Gammon! Gammon! I really believe--ah?--you--you--begin to see
something--don't you?"

"_It's to be_ DONE, Mr. Quirk!" said Gammon, at length, with a grave and
apprehensive look, and a cheek which had suddenly grown pale.

"Eh? how? Oh, I see!--Know what you mean, Gammon," replied Quirk, with a
hurried whisper, glancing at both doors to see that they were safe.

"We must resume our intercourse with Titmouse, and let matters go on as
before," said Gammon, with a very anxious, but,