Morley, who would turn his back on the highest noble in
Britain if but guilty of some jockey trick on the turf! Live henceforth
openly, and in broad daylight if you please; and trust to us three--the
Soldier, the Lawyer, the Churchman--to give to this paper that value
which your Sovereign's advisers intend it to receive."

"Your hand now, dear old friend!" cried George. "You remember I
commanded you once to take mine as man and gentleman--as man and
gentleman, now honour me with yours."

"Is it possible?" faltered Waife, one hand in George's, the
other extended in imploring appeal to Darrell--"is it possible? I
vindicated--I cleared--and yet no felon's dock for Jasper!--the son not
criminated by the father's acquittal! Tell me that! again--again!"

"It is so, believe me. All that rests is to force on that son, if
he have a human heart, the conviction that he will be worse than a
parricide if he will not save himself."

"And he will--he shall. Oh, that I could but get at him!" exclaimed the
preacher.

"And now," said Darrell--"now, George, leave us; for now, upon equal
terms, we two fathers can discuss family differences."

CHAPTER VIII.

SOPHY'S CLAIM EXAMINED AND CANVASSED.

"I take this moment," said Darrell, when left alone with Waife--(ah,
reader, let us keep to that familiar name to the last!)--"I take
this moment," said Darrell, "the first moment in which you can feel
thoroughly assured that no prejudice against yourself clouds my judgment
in reference to her whom you believe to be your grandchild, to commence,
and I trust to conclude forever, the subject which twice brought you
within these walls. On the night of your recent arrival here, you
gave this copy of a French woman's declaration, to the effect that two
infants had been placed out with her to nurse; that one of them was my
poor daughter's infant, who was about to be taken away from her; that
the other was confided to her by its parent, a French lady, whom she
speaks of as a very liberal and distinguished person, but whose name is
not stated in the paper."

WAIFE.--"The confession describes that lady as an artiste; distinguished
artiste is the expression-viz., a professional person--a painter--an
actress--a singer--or--"

DARRELL (drily).--"An opera-dancer! I understand the French word
perfectly. And I presume the name is not mentioned in the document, from
motives of delicacy; the child of a distinguished French artiste is
not nece