cene by the Pool had taught him that he would have a stiff fight. He
had been hard hit by Harry's shrewd suggestion that he must ask Iver
himself for the means of proving what he meant to tell Iver. The only
alternative, however, was to procure money for the necessary
investigations from his niece; and his niece, though comfortably off,
was not rich. Nor was she any longer zealous in the cause. The Imp was
sulky and sullen with him, sorry she had ever touched the affair at all,
ready, he suspected, to grasp at any excuse for letting it drop. This
temper of hers foreboded a refusal to open her purse. It was serious in
another way. Of himself Duplay knew nothing; Mina was his only witness;
her evidence, though really second-hand, was undoubtedly weighty; it
would at least make inquiries necessary. But would she give it? Duplay
was conscious that she was capable of turning round on him and declaring
that she had made a blunder. If she did that, what would happen? Duplay
was sure that Harry had formal proofs, good and valid _prima facie_; he
would need Mina, money, and time to upset them. There were moments when
the Major himself wished that he had relied on his own attractions, and
not challenged Harry to battle on any issue save their respective power
to win Janie Iver's affections. But it seemed too late to go back.
Besides, he was in a rage with Harry; his defeat by the Pool rankled.
Harry, as usual, had spared his enemy none of the bitterness of defeat;
Duplay would now take pleasure in humbling him for the sake of the
triumph itself, apart from its effect on the Ivers, father and daughter.
But could he do it? He abode by the conclusion that he was bound to try,
but he was not happy in it.

Harry's attitude would be simple. He would at the proper time produce
his certificates, testifying to the death of Sir Randolph, the marriage
of his parents, his own birth. The copies were in perfect order and duly
authenticated; they were evidence in themselves; the originals could be
had and would bear out the copies. All this had been well looked after,
and Duplay did not doubt it. What had he to set against it? Only that
the third certificate was false, and that somewhere--neither he nor even
Mina knew where--bearing some dates--neither he nor Mina knew
what--there must be two other certificates--one fatal to Harry's case as
fixing his birth at an earlier date, the other throwing at least grave
suspicion on it by recording a seco