"The estate is not yet settled. That is, the final accounts have not been handed into the court. Mrs. Lane doubtless thinks she will be able to confiscate your claim. I have heard that she intends to go to Europe when her accounts are filed." "She seems a very unprincipled woman. I am sorry that my old friend succeeded so poorly in his matrimonial venture." "She did show not herself in her true colors till after his death. He died believing her to be a woman of good principles." "I am glad of that." "If you will put the matter in my hands, Mr. Graves, I will manage it for you." "I will authorize you to do so. I do not care to see her again." Mrs. Lane was considerably surprised to receive this letter, signed, "Enoch Perkins, Attorney-at-Law": "MADAM—You are requested to call at my office on business of great importance." She was disposed at first to take no notice of the letter, but a feeling of uneasiness finally induced her to answer the summons. "Mr. Perkins," she said, haughtily, as she entered the office, "I have received a strange letter from you." "Be seated, madam, and I will let you know why I wrote. I am acting for Mr. John Graves, who has a large claim against you." "I thought as much. He did me the honor to call yesterday and make a most preposterous claim against my husband's estate." "Why preposterous?" "It is very clear that he is trying to swindle me!" "The claim is genuine." "Let him prove it then!" "He is prepared to do so." "How?" she asked, a little startled. "On your husband's testimony." "My husband is dead." "He left a memorandum in writing relating to this claim." Mrs. Lane knew this, but she believed that it was no longer in existence. "Let him produce it," she said, calmly. "He is prepared to do so." "There is no such memorandum in existence." "Pardon me, but there is!" "Where is it?" "In my hands." Mrs. Lane turned pale. "I don't believe it!" "Then I will show you a copy of it." He drew from his desk a copy of the memorandum printed in an earlier part of this story. "Read it, if you like," he said. She did so, and her face twitched convulsively. "I can't understand how this should have come into your hands," she said; "even if it were genuine?" "Mrs. Lane, it was left by you on your desk nearly two years ago, and brought to me by a tramp, who didn't know its importance." "Supposing this to be so, you should have returned it to me at once!" she snapped. "You would have destroyed it." "This is not in Mr. Lane's handwriting." "No, but the original is." "Let me see it." "It will be shown in court." Mrs. Lane breathed hard. She sat back in her chair, and a hard look came over her face. "I will resist this swindle!" she hissed. "As you please. Who is your lawyer?" "I will consider. I am a woman, but I won't allow myself to be robbed!" "As you please. I have no more to say to you this morning." She left the office very much perturbed, but gradually became calmer.