"Oh," said Helen, "to think I should have handled forgeries, and shown them to you for real. Ah! I'm so glad; for now I have committed the same crime as Robert Penfold; I have uttered a forged document. Take me up, and have me put in prison, for I am as guilty as ever he was." Her face shone with rapture at sharing Robert's guilt. The expert was a little puzzled by sentiments so high-flown and unpractical. "I think," said he, "you are hardly aware what a valuable discovery this may prove to you. However, the next step is to get me a specimen of the person's handwriting who furnished you with these. The chances are he is the writer of the forged note." Helen uttered an exclamation that was almost a scream. The inference took her quite by surprise. She looked at Mrs. Undercliff. "He is right, I think," said the old lady. "Right or wrong," said the expert, "the next step in the inquiry is to do what I said. But that demands great caution. You must write a short civil note to Mr. Hand, and just ask him some question. Let me see. Ask him what newspapers his extracts are from, and whether he has got any more. He will not tell you the truth; but no matter, we shall get hold of his handwriting." "But, sir," said Helen, "there is no need for that. Mr. Hand sent me a note along with the extracts." "The deuce he did. All the better. Any words in it that are in the forged note? Is Penfold in it, or Wardlaw?" Helen reflected a moment, and then said she thought both those names were in it. "Fetch me that note," said Undercliff, and his eyes sparkled. He was on a hot scent now. "And let me study the genuine reports, and compare what they say with the forged ones," said Mrs. Undercliff. "Oh, what friends I have found at last!" cried Helen. She thanked them both warmly, and hurried home, for it was getting late. Next day she brought Hand's letter to Mr. Undercliff, and devoured his countenance while he inspected it keenly and compared it with the forged note. The comparison was long and careful, but unsatisfactory. Mr. Undercliff could not conscientiously say whether Hand had written the forged note or not. There were pros and cons. "We are in deeper water than I thought," said he. "The comparison must be enlarged. You must write as I suggested, and get another note out of Mr. Hand." "And leave the prayer-book with me," said Mrs. Undercliff.