"You have succeeded in duping Mr. Ferguson. You will find it a harder task to dupe me. If you knew me better, you would have hesitated before you attempted to humbug me in that barefaced way." "If you knew me better, Uncle James----" "I am not your Uncle James." "Mr. Grey, then. If you knew me better, Mr. Grey, you would know that I am not capable of making a false claim." "Oh! no doubt you are very honest--the soul of integrity," sneered James Grey; "but every one has his price, and, as the success of your imposture would make you rich for life, you concluded to leave honesty out of the question." James Grey might at once have referred to his possession of the paper, but he could not forbear playing with Gilbert, as a cat with a mouse, enjoying meanwhile the power which he possessed of crushing his claims by a single statement. "Your charge is entirely unjust," said Gilbert, quietly. "I shall appreciate the money to which I am rightfully entitled, to be sure; but I want to settle my claim, also, to my father's name, of which I was so long ignorant." "If you choose to call yourself Grey, or Green, or Brown, there is no law to prevent you, I suppose," said Mr. Grey, sarcastically; "but when you, a street bootblack, try to force your way into a respectable family, there is considerable to be said." "I am not ashamed of having been a bootblack," said our hero, calmly. "I was earning an honest living, though an humble one; and I was not living upon what belonged to another." "Do you mean me?" interrupted his uncle, angrily. "You must decide whether you are meant, Mr. Grey." "Suppose now I decline to consider seriously this very impudent claim of yours, what are you going to do about it?" "I shall take legal advice." "How do you expect to pay a lawyer?" "I shall try to manage it." "No lawyer will undertake such a discreditable case." "I happen to be acquainted with one lawyer that will. In fact, I have mentioned the matter to him, and I am acting by his advice now." "Does he tell you that you have a good case?" "He does." "What does he say is the strongest part of it?" "The statement of Jacob Morton." "Do you happen to have it with you?" "No, sir. After the experience of my last call, I prefer not to bring it." "You can't produce it," said James Grey, triumphantly. "Why not?" "Because you have no such document." "You are mistaken there." "I have the strongest reason for saying that this forged document, on which you so much rely, is no longer in your possession." "I should like to know your reason," said Gilbert, struck by his uncle's significant manner. "Then I will tell you. It is not in your possession, because _it is in mine_!" "What do you mean, sir?" asked Gilbert, somewhat startled. "Just what I say. I have obtained possession of the paper which you so artfully concocted, and pretended to be the dying statement of Jacob Morton." "What, did Mr. Ferguson give it to you?" asked Gilbert, amazed.