on each side of the
notes; Penfold agitated and terrified, Nancy confounded and perplexed.

CHAPTER LVIII.

PUNCTUALLY at ten o'clock Helen returned to Frith Street, and found Mr.
Undercliff behind a sort of counter, employed in tracing; a workman was
seated at some little distance from him; both bent on their work.

"Mr. Undercliff?" said Helen.

He rose and turned toward her politely--a pale, fair man, with a keen
gray eye and a pleasant voice and manner; "I am Edward Undercliff. You
come by appointment?"

"Yes, sir."

"A question of handwriting?"

"Not entirely, sir. Do you remember giving witness in favor of a young
clergyman, Mr. Robert Penfold, who was accused of forgery?"

"I remember the circumstance, but not the details."

"Oh, dear! that is unfortunate," said Helen, with a deep sigh; she often
had to sigh now.

"Why, you see," said the expert, "I am called on such a multitude of
trials. However, I take notes of the principal ones. What year was it
in?"

"In 1864."

Mr. Undercliff went to a set of drawers arranged chronologically, and
found his notes directly. "It was a forged bill, madam, indorsed and
presented by Penfold. I was called to prove that the bill was not in the
handwriting of Penfold. Here is my fac-simile of the Robert Penfold
indorsed upon the bill by the prisoner." He handed it her, and she
examined it with interest.

"And here are fac-similes of genuine writing by John Wardlaw; and here is
a copy of the forged note."

He laid it on the table before her. She started, and eyed it with horror.
It was a long time before she could speak. At length she said, "And that
wicked piece of paper destroyed Robert Penfold."

"Not that piece of paper, but the original; this is a fac-simile, so far
as the writing is concerned. It was not necessary in this case to imitate
paper and color. Stay, here is a sheet on which I have lithographed the
three styles; that will enable you to follow my comparison. But perhaps
that would not interest you." Helen had the tact to say it would. Thus
encouraged, the expert showed her that Robert Penfold's writing had
nothing in common with the forged note. He added: "I also detected in the
forged note habits which were entirely absent from the true writing of
John Wardlaw. You will understand there were plenty of undoubted
specimens in court to go by."

"Then, oh, sir," said Helen, "Robert Penfold was not guilty."

"Certainly not of writing the forged