Part 72 (1/2)

”And let me study the genuine reports, and compare what they say with the forged ones,” said Mrs. Undercliff.

”Oh, what friends I have found at last!” cried Helen.

She thanked them both warmly, and hurried home, for it was getting late.

Next day she brought Hand's letter to Mr. Undercliff, and devoured his countenance while he inspected it keenly and compared it with the forged note.

The comparison was long and careful, but unsatisfactory. Mr. Undercliff could not conscientiously say whether Hand had written the forged note or not. There were pros and cons.

”We are in deeper water than I thought,” said he. ”The comparison must be enlarged. You must write as I suggested, and get another note out of Mr.

Hand.”

”And leave the prayer-book with me,” said Mrs. Undercliff.

Helen complied with these instructions, and in due course received a civil line from Mr. Hand, to say that the extracts had been sent him from the country by one of his fellow-clerks, and he had locked them up, lest Mr. Michael Penfold, who was much respected in the office, should see them. He could not say where they came from; perhaps from some provincial paper. If of any value to Miss Rolleston, she was quite at liberty to keep them. He added there was a coffee-house in the city where she could read all the London papers of that date. This letter, which contained a great many more words than the other, was submitted to Undercliff. It puzzled him so that he set to work, and dissected every curve the writer's pen had made; but he could come to no positive conclusion, and he refused to utter his conjectures.

”We are in a deep water,” said he.

Finally, he told his mother he was at a stand-still for the present.

”But I am not,” said Mrs. Undercliff. She added, after a while, ”I think there's felony at the bottom of this.”

”Smells like it to me,” said the expert.

”Then I want you to do something very clever for me.”

”What is that?”

”I want you to forge something.”

”Come! I say.”

”Quite innocent, I a.s.sure you.”

”Well, but it is a bad habit to commence.”

”All depends on the object. This is to take in a forger, that is all.”

The expert's eyes sparkled. He had always been sadly discontented with the efforts of forgers, and thought he could do better.

”I'll do it,” said he, gayly.

CHAPTER LXI.

GENERAL ROLLESTON and his daughter sat at breakfast in the hotel. General Rolleston was reading the _Times,_ and his eye lighted on something that made him start. He looked toward Helen, and his first impulse was to communicate it to her. But, on second thoughts, he preferred to put a question to her first.

”You have never told the Wardlaws what those sailors said?”

”No, papa. I still think they ought to have been told; but you know you positively forbade me.”