ll, remember, is a forgery; and, if necessary, I will prove it so,
if it takes my last shilling and the last drop of my heart's blood
to do it; do you understand?"

The attorney understood, and was more than ever convinced in his ow
mind that the old will filed that day was genuine.

Meanwhile, in another part of the city, Mrs. LaGrange sat alone in
her apartments, awaiting the coming of Richard Hobson. It was
considerably past the hour which he had set and daylight was slowly
merging into dusk, yet enough light still remained to show the
changes which the last few weeks had wrought in her face. Her
features looked pinched and drawn, and a strange pallor had replaced
the rich coloring of the olive skin, while her dark eyes, cold and
brilliant as ever, had the look of some wild creature suddenly
brought to bay. She shuddered now, as, from her window, she saw the
cringing form of Hobson approaching the building.

"To think," she exclaimed to herself, passionately, "that that
creature is the only one to whom I can go for counsel or advice! I
loathe the very sight of him; fool that I was ever to place myself
within his power! I thought I could use him as a tool like the
rest; but it is like playing with edged tools; yet I dare not let
him go."

A moment later, she heard a stealthy, cat-like tread in the corridor
outside, followed by a low, peculiar tap at the door, and Hobson
entered.

She crossed the room slowly, keeping her face in the shadow, and,
motioning him to a chair, seated herself opposite, watching him
narrowly.

"You are late," she said, coldly, in response to his greeting.

"Admitted, my lady," he replied, in his usual unctuous tones, "but
I naturally wished to ascertain all the facts possible regarding
this new deal, and, seeing Whitney nosing about on the trail, I
decided to remain within ear-shot and pick up what information I
could second-hand."

"What did you learn?"

"Nothing very definite, and yet enough, perhaps, to give us our
cue until further developments. My dear lady, what do you think of
this new turn of affairs?"

"The whole thing is simply preposterous; a piece of the most
consummate audacity I ever dreamed of!"

"Ha! I thought it would strike you as particularly nervy. It is
the most daring bit of invention I have seen for some time; and it
must be a pretty cleverly concocted scheme and pretty well backed
with the ducats also, for I learned to-night that the 'heir,'"
l