"If _that's_ your impression, Sir Charles," said Mr. Runnington, eagerly, "what do you think of having a shot at them--a second ejectment!" "Oh, by Heaven! _that's_ an awful affair!" replied Sir Charles, shaking his head, and looking very serious; "besides, what he's done once, he may do again." "Ah, but we know all his witnesses now beforehand! Then we fought him in the dark; but now"---- "Ay, there's something in _that_, certainly," said Sir Charles, musingly; "but then 't is such a frightful expense; and where poor Aubrey's to get the means"---- "Oh, never mind that, Sir Charles!" replied Mr. Runnington, nevertheless somewhat seriously; but thinking of Lord De la Zouch, he added rather briskly--"If you only intimate an opinion favorable towards venturing the experiment, I'll undertake that _funds_ shall be forthcoming." While Mr. Runnington was saying this, Sir Charles Wolstenholme sat leaning back in his chair, his head inclined on one side, the fingers of one hand playing mechanically with his chin; in fact, he was deeply engaged in thought, and Mr. Runnington did not interrupt him. "Ah," he presently exclaimed with a sort of sigh, looking with sudden vivacity at his companion--"I have it--I have it--I see a way out of the wood! Well, if you can only get ammunition, it's my advice to you to fight the battle over again--_but on quite a different field_. We'll strike a blow in a new hemisphere!" "Indeed, Sir Charles? What, in a court of equity?" "Oh, pho, no!--You say you _have_ entered a caveat against the grant of Letters of Administration?" "Yes, certainly," replied Mr. Runnington, a little disappointed; "but, as I explained, there's no chance of establishing a _will_." "Never mind _that!_ Throw the will to the dogs. I'll show you a wrinkle worth a hundred wills! Mr. and Miss Aubrey, and Titmouse, are, you know, of course, entitled each to a third of Lady Stratton's estate, but as Aubrey would appear to the court to be in fact insolvent, and to owe Titmouse a much larger sum than Aubrey is entitled to, out of the intestate's estate--the preferable right to administer is certainly that of Titmouse. Never mind that, however. Contest his right to administer _at all_: stand by your _caveat_--and when you are called upon to support it, do so on the ground _that Mr. Aubrey is_ NEARER _of kin to Lady Stratton than Titmouse_--which will make it necessary for the fellow, you know, to set forth his pedigree with the greatest minuteness. You will then have a commission go down to the very spot where all the witnesses are, and those fellows, the proctors, you know, are as keen as beagles"---- "Oh, Sir Charles, Sir Charles! I--I see it all! Oh, admirable"----