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 ‘About the partnership deed?’

‘Of course she did. She’s a clever woman, Mr. Mason; very clever, and it’s almost a pity that she should come to grief. She has carried it on so well; hasn’t she?’

Mr. Mason’s face now became very black. ‘Why,’ said he, ‘if what you seem to allege be true, she must be a―a―a―. What do you mean, sir, by pity?’

Mr. Dockwrath shrugged his shoulders. ‘It is very blue,’ said he, ‘uncommon blue.’

‘She must be a swindler; a common swindler. Nay, worse than that.’

‘Oh, yes, a deal worse than that, Mr. Mason. And as for common;—according to my way of thinking there's nothing at all common about it. I look upon it as about the best got-up plant I ever remember to have heard of. I do, indeed, Mr. Mason.’ The attorney during the last ten minutes of the conversation had quite altered his tone, understanding that he had already achieved a great part of his object; but Mr. Mason in his intense anxiety did not observe this. Had Mr. Dockwrath, in commencing the conversation, talked about ‘plants’ and ‘blue,’ Mr. Mason would probably have rung his bell for the servant. ‘If it’s anything, it’s forgery,’ said Mr. Dockwrath, looking his companion full in the face.

‘I always felt sure that my father never intended to sign such a codicil as that.’

‘He never did sign it, Mr. Mason.’

‘And,—and the witnesses!’ said Mr. Mason, still not enlightened as to the true extent of the attorney’s suspicion.

‘They signed the other deed; that is two of them did. There is no doubt about that;—on that very day. They certainly did witness a signature made by the old gentleman in his own room on that 14th of July. The original of that document, with the date and their names, will be forthcoming soon enough.’

‘Well,’ said Mr. Mason.

‘But they did not witness two signatures.’

‘You think not, eh!’

‘I'm sure of it. The girl Bolster would have remembered it, and would have said so. She was sharp enough.’

‘Who wrote all the names then at the foot of the will?’ said Mr. Mason.

‘Ah! that’s the question. Who did write them? We know very well, Mr. Mason, you and I that is, who did not. And having come to that, I think we may give a very good guess who did.’

And then they both sat silent for some three or four minutes. Mr. Dockwrath was quite at his ease, rubbing his chin with his hand, playing with a paper-knife which he had taken from the study table, and waiting till it should please Mr. Mason to renew