"I should take a sheet of your paper with me, and forge the forgery!" said Raffles, a light in his eye and a gusto in his voice that I knew only too well. "But I shouldn't do my work as perfectly as--the other cove--did his. My effort would look the same as yours--_his_--until Mr. Attorney fixed it with his eyeglass in open court. And then the bottom would be out of the defence in five minutes!" Dan Levy came straight over to Raffles--quivering like a jelly--beaming at every pore. "Shake!" he cried. "I always knew you were a man after my own heart, but I didn't know you were a man of genius until this minute." "It's no use my shaking," replied Raffles, the tips of his sensitive fingers still together, "until I make up my mind to take on the job. And I'm a very long way from doing that yet, Mr. Levy." I breathed again. "But you must, my dear friend, you simply must!" said Levy, in a new tone of pure persuasion. I was sorry he forgot to threaten instead. Perhaps it was not forgetfulness; perhaps he was beginning to know his Raffles as I knew mine; if so, I was sorrier still. "It's a case of _quid pro quo_," said Raffles calmly. "You can't expect me to break out into downright crime--however technical the actual offence--unless you make it worth my while." Levy became the man I wanted him to be again. "I fancy it's worth your while not to hear anything more about Carlsbad," said he, though still with less of the old manner than I could have wished. "What!" cried Raffles, "when you own yourself that you've no evidence against me there?" "Evidence is to be got that may mean five years to you; don't you make any mistake about that." "Whereas the evidence of this particular letter against yourself has, on your own showing, already been obtained! It's as you like, of course," added Raffles, getting up with a shrug. "But if the Old Bailey sees us both, Mr. Levy, I'll back my chance against yours--and your sentence against mine!" Raffles helped himself to a drink, after a quizzical look at his guest, decanter in hand; the usurer snatched it from him and splashed out half a tumbler. Certainly he was beginning to know his Raffles perilously well. "There, damn you!" said he, blinking into an empty glass. "I trust you further than I'd trust any other young blood of your kidney; name your price, and you shall earn it if you can." "You may think it a rather long one, Mr. Levy." "Never mind; you say what you want." "Leave that money of yours on the mortgage with Mr. Garland; forgive him his other debt as you hope to be forgiven; and either that letter shall be in your hands, or I'll be in the hands of the police, before a week is up!"