'The same. There they are--you hold them in your hand--the very notes! Strange! on the very day when I am threatened with another and a worse robbery! Yes--yes; the very notes!--the very notes! This is wonderful. Who put them there?' 'How can I know?' 'Well--but in any case one thing is certain. Athelstan's name is cleared at last. You will tell his mother that.' 'Not at all,' said Checkley. 'Why shouldn't he put 'em in himself? I saw him edging up towards the safe----' 'Saw him edging--stuff and nonsense! His name is cleared. This will be joyful news to his mother and sisters.' 'Austin, get me back my certificates,' said Mr. Dering; 'never mind those notes now. Never mind the joyful news. Never mind Athelstan's name; that can wait. The thought of him and the old forgery only bewilders my brain at this juncture. I cannot act. I cannot think. I feel as if I was blinded and stupefied. Act for me--think for me--work for me. Be my solicitor, George, as well as my partner.' 'I will do my best. It is difficult at first to understand--for what has happened? You cannot find--you have mislaid--certain papers. Certain dividends which were due do not appear to have been paid: and your brokers, Ellis & Northcote, have used a phrase in a letter which you do not understand. Would it not be well to get them here; or shall I go into the City and ask them exactly what they meant and what has been done?' 'If I could remember any transactions with them during the last six months. But I cannot, except a small purchase of Corporation stock last month--a few hundreds. And here are the papers belonging to that.' 'Which of the partners do you deal with?' 'The old man, Ellis--he's always acted for me. He has been my friend for close on fifty years.' 'Well, I will send for him, and tell him to come as soon as possible, and to bring along with him all the letters and papers he has.' 'Good, good,' said Mr. Dering, more cheerfully. 'That is practical. I ought to have thought of that at the very outset. Now we shall get along. The first thing is to arrive at the facts--then we can act. If it was another man's case, I should have known what to do. But when it is your own--and to lose the certificates, and when a sum of nearly forty thousand pounds is at stake--it looks like losing the money itself--and the feeling of uncertainty----' 'All taken together, becomes rather overwhelming. Of course I should like to see the letter-book, and we must run through the letters to see if they throw any light upon the business. Perhaps the papers themselves may be found among them.' The presence of this young man, cheerful, decided, taking practical measures at once, cheered up the lawyer, and steadied his shattered nerves. But Checkley the clerk looked on gloomily. He replaced the papers in the safe, and stood beside it, as if to guard it; he followed the movements of the new partner with watchful, suspicious eyes; and he muttered sullenly between his teeth.