gree of refinement that I can accept a downright swindle as a demand
founded on justice."

"Let us prove it a swindle, and there is an end of it."

"And will you tell me, sir," said he, passionately, "that every
gentleman holds his estates on the condition that the title may be
contested by any impostor who can dupe people into advancing money to
set the law in motion?"

"When such proceedings are fraudulent a very heavy punishment awaits
them."

"And what punishment of the knave equals the penalty inflicted on the
honest man in exposure, shame, insolent remarks, and worse than even
these, a contemptuous pity for that reverse of fortune which newspaper
writers always announce as an inevitable consummation?"

"These are all hard things to bear, but I don't suspect they ever
deterred any man from holding an estate."

The half jocular tone of his remark rather jarred on Bramleigh's
sensibilities, and he continued to walk the room in silence; at last,
stopping short, he wheeled round and said,--

"Do you adhere to your former opinion? would you try a compromise?"

"I would. The man has a case quite good enough to interest a speculative
lawyer--good enough to go before a jury--good enough for everything but
success. One half what the defence would cost you will probably satisfy
his expectations, not to speak of all you will spare yourself in
unpleasantness and exposure."

"It is a hard thing to stoop to," said Bramleigh, painfully.

"It need not be, at least not to the extent you imagine; and when you
throw your eye over your lawyer's bill of costs, the phrase 'incidental
expenses' will spare your feelings any more distinct reference to this
transaction."

"A most considerate attention. And now for the practical part. Who is
this man's lawyer?"

"A most respectable practitioner, Kelson, of Temple Court. A personal
friend of my own."

"And what terms would you propose?"

"I 'd offer five thousand, and be prepared to go to eight, possibly to
ten."

"To silence a mere menace?"

"Exactly. It's a mere menace to-day, but six months hence it may be
something more formidable. It is a curious case, cleverly contrived and
ingeniously put together. Don't say that we could n't smash it; such
carpentry always has a chink or an open somewhere. Meanwhile the scandal
is spreading over not only England, but over the world, and no matter
how favorable the ultimate issue, there will always remain in men's
minds the recoll