eceipt for that sum of money was lost, but the gentleman
with whom he invested it is honourable and is ready to pay it. He will
only pay it on one condition, and that is that it be divided into equal
portions between your two sisters and yourself.'

He sat up with the pipe between his finger and thumb.

'Whatever my father left,' he said, 'belongs to me.'

'Then,' I answered, 'claim it!'

He lay down again as suddenly as if I had shot him.

'You will remember,' I said, 'that the receipt is lost, and that you
have no legal claim upon the gentleman who now holds the money. He
is willing to pay it over at once, provided you divide it with your
sisters.'

'Who is he?'

I made no answer.

'What right has he, whoever he is, to dictate terms to me? What right
has he to suppose that I shouldn't make fair terms with my sisters, and
make them a decent allowance, and all that sort of thing, if I had the
money?'

'I know nothing of the matter, sir,' I answered, 'except that on your
written undertaking to divide whatever property your father may have
left, you can take half of it, and that without such an undertaking you
can get nothing.'

'I'll sign no such undertaking!' he cried angrily. 'Why should I be
juggled out of money which belongs to me? If I choose to make my sisters
a present, why, I'll do it, and if I don't, I won't.'

'Very good, sir,' I said; 'when you have changed your mind, and wish to
draw the money, you can apply to me again.'

'What's the amount?' he asked sulkily, after a time.

'I am requested not to mention the amount,' I answered, 'but it is
considerable.'

'How do _you_ come to be mixed up with my affairs?' he asked. 'I don't
even know your name. You're not a lawyer. How do I know that the whole
thing isn't a stupid joke? How do I know there's not a trap of some sort
in it?'

'All these things are for your own consideration, sir,' I answered, as
coolly as I could. 'I am acting to oblige a friend, and if it were not
for my desire to oblige a friend----'

There I stayed. He glared at me, and rose-to his feet.. 'Well!' he said,
'what then?'.

'I should take no trouble at all in the matter, and should be glad to be
rid of you.'

'Oh!' he said jeeringly, and then sat down again. By-and-by he looked
up and shook a forefinger at me with an air of drunken perspicacity and
resolution which was amusing.

'Don't think,' he said, 'that I can't see through _your_ little game.
You're living in t