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56 I see that the dates are the same;—the 14th of July in the same year.'

'Well,' said Mr. Dockwrath, looking very keenly into the magistrate’s face.

'Well,’ said Mr. Mason, looking over the paper at his boot.

‘John Kenneby and Bridget Bolster were witnesses to both the instruments,’ said the attorney.

‘So I see,’ said the magistrate.

'But I don’t remember that it came out in evidence that either of them recollected having been called on for two signatures on the same day.'

‘No; there was nothing of that came out;—or was even hinted at.’

‘No; nothing even hinted at, Mr. Mason,—as you justly observe. That is what I mean by saying that Round and Crook’s people didn’t get up their little facts. Believe me, sir, there are men in the profession out of London who know quite as much as Round and Crook. They ought to have had those facts, seeing that the very copy of the document was turned over by their hands.’ And Mr. Dockwrath hit the table heavily in the warmth of his indignation against his negligent professional brethren, Earlier in the interview Mr. Mason would have been made very angry by such freedom, but he was not angry now.

‘Yes; they ought to have known it,’ said he. But he did not even yet see the point. He merely saw that there was a point worth seeing.

'Known it! Of course they ought to have known it. Look here, Mr. Mason! If I had it on my mind that I'd thrown over a client of mine by such carelessness as that, I’d—I’d strike my own name off the rolls; I would indeed. I never could look a counsel in the face again, if I'd neglected to brief him with such facts as those. I suppose it was carelessness; eh, Mr. Mason?'

‘Oh, yes; I’m afraid so,’ said Mr. Mason, still rather in the dark.

‘They could have had no object in keeping it back, I should say.’

'No; none in life. But let us see, Mr. Dockwrath; how does it bear upon us? The dates are the same, and the witnesses the same.'

'The deed of separation is genuine. There is no doubt about that.'

'Oh; you're sure of that?'

'Quite certain, I found it entered in the old office books. It was the last of a lot of such documents executed between Mason and Martock after the old man gave up the business. You see she was always with him, and knew all about it.'