'There was a third and last transaction,' said the broker, 'this time in April. Here is the letter written by you with instructions exactly the same as in the previous cases, but dealing with the stock to the amount of 19,000_l_., which we duly carried out, and for which we received your cheque--for commission.' 'Every one of these letters--every signature of mine to transfer papers and to cheques--was a forgery,' said Mr. Dering slowly. 'I have no client named Edmund Gray: I know no one of the name: I never received any money from the transfers: these investments are stolen.' 'Let me look at the letters again,' said George. He examined them carefully, comparing them with each other. 'They are so wonderfully forged that they would deceive the most careful. I should not hesitate, myself, to swear to the handwriting.' It has already been explained that Mr. Dering's handwriting was of a kind which is not uncommon with those who write a good deal. The unimportant words were conveyed by a curve, with or without a tail, while the really important words were clearly written. The signature, however, was large, distinct, and florid--the signature of the House, which had been flourishing for a hundred years and more, a signature which had never varied. 'Look at it,' said George again. 'Who would not swear to this writing?' 'I would for one,' said Mr. Ellis. 'And I have known it for forty years and more.--If that is not your own writing, Dering, it is the very finest imitation ever made.' 'I don't think my memory can be quite gone.--Checkley, have we ever had a client named Edmund Gray?' 'No--never. But you've forgotten one thing. That forgery eight years ago--the cheque of 720_l_.--was payable to the order of Edmund Gray.' 'Ah! So it was. This seems important.' 'Most important,' said George. 'The forger could not possibly by accident choose the same name. This cannot be coincidence. Have you the forged cheque?' 'I have always kept it,' Mr. Dering replied, 'on the chance of using it to prove the crime and convict the criminal. You will find it, Checkley, in the right-hand drawer of the safe. Thank you. Here it is. "Pay to the order of Edmund Gray;" and here is his endorsement. So we have his handwriting at any rate.' George took it. 'Strange,' he said. 'I should without any hesitation swear to your handwriting here as well. And look--the signature to the cheque is exactly the same as that of these letters. The two dots missing after the name, and the flourish after the last "n" curtailed.' It was so. The handwriting of the cheque and of the letters was the same: the signatures were slightly, but systematically, altered in exactly the same way in both letters and cheque. 'This again,' said George, 'can hardly be coincidence. It seems to me that the man who wrote that cheque also wrote those letters.' The endorsement was in a hand which might also be taken for Mr. Dering's own. Nothing to be got out of the endorsement.