but conspired against his life.

"Hector," said Allan Roscoe, assuming a confidence he did not feel, "I
am amazed at your preposterous claim upon the property my brother left
to me. This is a poor return for his kindness to one who had no claim
upon him."

"Mr. Parchment will speak for me," said Hector, briefly.

"My young client," said the great lawyer, "claims to be the son of the
deceased Mr. Roscoe, and, of course, in that capacity, succeeds to his
father's estate."

"It is one thing to make the claim, and another to substantiate it,"
sneered Allan Roscoe.

"Precisely so, Mr. Roscoe," said Mr. Parchment. "We quite agree with
you. Shall I tell you and your learned counsel what we are prepared to
prove?"

Mr. Roscoe nodded uneasily.

"We have the affidavits of the lady with whom your brother boarded
in Sacramento, and in whose house my young client was born. We have,
furthermore, the sworn testimony of the clergyman, still living, who
baptized him, and we can show, though it is needless, in the face of
such strong proof, that he was always spoken of in his infancy by Mr.
and Mrs. Roscoe as their child."

"And I have my brother's letter stating that he was only adopted,"
asserted Allan Roscoe.

"Even that, admitting it to be genuine," said Mr. Parchment, "cannot
disprove the evidence I have already alluded to. If you insist upon it,
however, we will submit the letter to an expert, and--"

"This is a conspiracy. I won't give up the estate," said Allan,
passionately.

"We also claim that there is a conspiracy," said Mr. Parchment,
smoothly, "and there is one circumstance that will go far to confirm
it."

"What is that?" demanded Allan Roscoe.

"It is the attempt made upon my young client's life in San Francisco by
an agent of yours, Mr. Roscoe."

"It is a lie!" said Allan, hoarsely, shaking, nevertheless, with fear.

At a sign from Mr. Parchment, Hector opened the door of the office to
give admission to Reuben Pearce.

At a sight of this man Allan Roscoe utterly collapsed. He felt that all
was lost!

"Gentlemen," he said, "I will give up the estate, but for Heaven's sake,
don't prosecute me for this!"

There was an informal conference, in which it was agreed that Allan
Roscoe should make no resistance to Hector's claim, but restore the
estate to him. Hector promised, though this was against his lawyer's
advice, to give his uncle, who would be left penniless, the sum of two
thousand dollars in c