ll write Annesley Beecher, with all my heart; but I 'll not write
myself Lackington."

"Den you no have de moneys, nor de Cuyp, nor de Ostade," said the Jew,
replacing the pen in the ink-bottle.

"Just let me ask you, old boy, how would it benefit you that I should
commit a forgery? Is that the way you like to do business?"

"I do know myself how I like my business to do, and no man teach me."

"What the devil did Davis mean, then, by sending me on this fool's
errand? He gave me a distinct intimation that you 'd cash my
acceptance--"

"Am I not ready? You never go and say to der Davis dat I refuse it! Ah,
der Davis!" and he sighed as if from the very bottom of his heart.

"I'll tell him, frankly, that you made it a condition I was to sign a
name that does not belong to me,--_that_ I 'll tell him."

"What care he for dat? Der Davis write his own name on it and pay it
hisself."

"Oh! and Davis was also to indorse this bill, was he?" asked Beecher.

"I should tink he do; oderwise I scarce give you de moneys."

"That, indeed, makes some difference. Not, in reality, that it would
n't be just as much a forgery; but if the bill come back to Grog's own
hands--"

"Ach, der Grog,--ha! ha! ha! 'Tis so long dat I no hear de name,--Grog
Davis!" and the Jew laughed till his eyes ran over.

"If there's no other way of getting at this money--"

"Dere is no oder way," said Lazarus, in a tone of firmness..

"Then good-morning, friend Lazarus, for you 'll not catch me spoiling
a stamp at that price. No, no, old fellow. I 'm up to a thing or two,
though you don't suspect it. I only rise to the natural fly, and no
mistake."

"I make no mistake; I take vaary goot care of dat," said Lazarus,
rising, and taking off his fez, to say adieu. "I wish you de vaary goot
day."

Beecher turned away, with a stiff salutation, into the garden. He was
angry with Davis, with himself, and with the whole world. It was a
rare event in his life to see gold so much within his reach and yet not
available, just for a scruple--a mere scruple--for, after all, what was
it else? Writing "Lackington" meant nothing, if Lack-ington were never
to see, much less to pay the bill. Once "taken up," as it was sure to
be by Grog, what signified it if the words across the acceptance were
Lackington or Annesley Beecher? And yet, what could Davis mean by
passing him off as the Viscount? Surely, for such a paltry sum as a
couple of thousand florins, it was not n