“Well, you see, if the wust comes to the wust, sir,” responded Mr. Chewkle, calculatingly, “I shan’t be hit so hard as you; I can afford to be cooler; now my notion is, that the first thing to be done is to get hold of that jeuced dockyment, and when got hold on, to drop it quietly into the fire.” “A good thought; I’ll send for it at once to my solicitor----” “They won’t be at the hoffice now,” interposed Chewkle. “You must let me manage it. I’ll be with ’em afore nine to morrow morning, so as to bust upon ’em afore they opens their letters, or commences looking at papers which have been served on ’em in different causes, an’ I’ll be in such a fluster an’ hurry to get back to you, that I’ll get the dockyment out of ’em, instead of being put off with a promise to look it out and send it by a clerk. We can’t wait, you know; we _must_ have it; and you’ll see I’ll bring it back with me all right.” “My best of friends, how can I reward you?” said Mr. Grahame, clutching at hope and relief from the scheme proposed. “Well,” said Mr. Chewkle, “a tenner will do for me jest now; I ain’t greedy, though I am short of money.” Mr. Grahame was here made to understand that a ten pound note was needed; he drew one promptly from his purse, and gave it to Chewkle, who instantly transferred it to his badly worn portmonnaie, which he plunged into the depths of his pocket. “You must write a note--a strong note--to your solicitor, sir,” he observed, when the money was stowed away, “directing him to give to _me_ the deed--mention my name--immediately on the receipt of your note--dash under ‘immediately’--that will throw him off his guard; he will give the dockyment to me; I’ll bring it to you, and then you can destroy it.” “But it is registered, and that will afford proof that there was such a document,” suggested Mr. Grahame, nervously. “Yes, that there was, perhaps,” answered Chewkle; “but what of that?--who’s to prove ’andwriting on a thing that ain’t forthcoming?--who’s to substantiate a charge of forgery”---- “Hush! for Heaven’s sake!” “Well, who’s to substantiate such a charge upon a thing as don’t exist--that can’t be put in in support of the case. It can’t be done.” “But--but what if proceedings have already commenced, and my lawyer is prepared to put in that deed to bar the claim they will make?” “But he musn’t.” “But what if he has this very day? for I urged him to proceed with all speed.” “Well, then we must be prepared to prove that it _is_ Wilton’s signature.” “That it _is_ his?”