"Why--ye-es," replied Willis, "but there are one or two little words here I would like to have changed; that is, I would like to have some others put in their place. It's of no great consequence, but somehow they please me better." "What words are they? Be so good as to point them out." "Why these," answered Willis, as he shewed them with his finger, and peered into Heywood's face, over his spectacles, with half closed eyes. "Suppose now, instead of them, you _was_ to use _such_ words," and he mentioned those he wished adopted. "But sir," rejoined Heywood, "these words that I have used are technical words, and express in a legal sense what I understand most positively to be the intention of the parties. Were I to substitute for them {110} those that you propose, I should make the granter convey a title it is by no means his wish to do." "Pray, Mr. Heywood, are you acquainted with Mr. ----, and do you consider yourself employed by him or me?" "I am but slightly acquainted with Mr. ----, sir, and it matters not to me by which party I am employed. It is my business as an honest man, to execute to the best of my ability, what I consider myself intrusted by both to perform, and that I have done." "Then let me tell you Mr. Heywood that I know ---- well, that he has not had quite as much as either you or I to do with deeds, and that if you make the alteration I want, it's a hundred to one he will never find it out to the end of time--so where can be the harm?" "You surely jest with me, Mr. Willis," quickly answered Heywood; "you cannot seriously propose to me to do that, which according to my view of the matter, would be neither more nor less than a legal fraud." "A fraud, sir! do you mean to say _I_ would commit a fraud, sir?" cried Willis, in an angry tone and blustering manner. "I have not said so, Mr. Willis," calmly replied Heywood; "I only said, that with my knowledge of the law, _I_ should commit one were I to do what you request." "Well then," urged Willis, "suppose you let me go for Mr. ----, and have the alteration made before his eyes. Will that satisfy your squeamishness?" "Certainly, if Mr. ---- consents to it, and is made fully aware of the situation in which he thus places himself." "But _you_ aint no ways bound to tell him that." "Pardon me, sir, I am every way bound to do so."