self down on a stool, folded his arms, and looking steadily at the other, said

"Now, young man, you have presumed to hoax me; that is, you have tried it. I suppose your master's residence is somewhere else, and you thought yourself all safe in saying he was not at home. You observe, of course, that I am from the country, and you and Mr Crowquill there thought to have a bit of a lark with me. I'm not your man, however; and if you dare to continue it, I'll lay you over that stool, and supply the schoolmaster's omission."

"Do you refer to me?" cried the other lad, from behind his desk. "To you, if necessary," rejoined Ned.

The two clerks burst into a fit of loud laughter; but this the gamekeeper very suddenly put a stop to, by seizing the youngest, and inflicting the threatened chastisement, in such a decided and emphatic manner, as to make it impossible to be understood as a joke.

"Now, young sir," said Ned, releasing him, "perhaps you will now be inclined to tell your master that I want to see him."

Wilson, I take you as witness to this assault," exclaimed the lad, nearly crying with shame and indignation. "I'll have swinging damages for this."

"Of course you will, Tom. I'll back you, depend upon it. The country boor will find out what it is to beat a gentleman."

66

Gentleman!" laughed Ned derisively. "Both of you must get a few such beatings before you can call yourselves by that name. Now, are you going to keep me here any longer, or must I go in search of your master myself?"

"He is engaged," replied Wilson, shortly. "He has no time to see such as you.'

"Oh, indeed!" said Ned, with a smile of contempt. "Send and see, at all events."

"I tell you it's of no use. However, Tom, you can go up stairs, and say to Mr S. that this unmannerly fellow is here."

Away ran Tom, and very speedily returned with the triumphant message, that the lawyer could see no one at present.

"You

"You have went and come too fast, sir," observed Ned. forgot to take my name with you. Go back again, and say that Ned Oakham wants to see your master."

The clerks got merry again, but durst not explode as before, for they had by this time seen that the visitor was not to be trifled with. But the idea of a fellow rejoicing in the name of Ned Oakham, expecting such a name to open the door of their master's private chamber, was so extravagantly green, that even the dread of another ignominious beating could not wholly restrain their laughter.

What Ned's threatening look could not do, a step on the stair

did-a quick, active step, which sent them both to their desks, and made them pluck the pens from behind their ears.

Presently Mr Strickland entered; and without looking at Ned, stept up to the elder lad with a paper, which he requested him to copy.

The gamekeeper rose, and slipped quietly forward to his elbow. "You can't see me jnst now, it seems, sir?" he said, in an indifferent voice.

"The lawyer turned quickly round. "God bless me, Ned Oakham! where have you come from?" he exclaimed, eagerly. "See you of course I can; who said I couldn't ?"

Ned glanced at the two youths, and seeing them trembling with appreliension, magnanimously resolved to conceal their uncivil behaviour.

"I thought you might be engaged," he suggested. "O, well! I'm always busy; but a friend like you I am glad to see. I have not forgot yon good turn you did us. But come up

stairs, and let us have a chat."'

The lawyer led the way, and Ned followed; while the two clerks watched their receding forms with staring eye and open mouth. At the foot of the stair, the gamekeeper turned round, and whispered to Tom, "Don't be afraid that I'll blab;" then pursued the steps of the good-natured lawyer. "Who

"By Jove, Tom, there's a case," whispered Wilson. would have thought he was such a friend of the governor's?" "He's a noble fellow too," said the repentant Tom. see how he screened us, when he might have got us into a pretty scrape?"

"Did you

"Who can he be? Ned Oakham, what a curious country name!" Leaving the astonished youths to wonder and imagine as they please, let us follow Mr Strickland and the gamekeeper to the private consulting room of the latter.

"I have heard of this latter feat of yours," rubbing his hands. How neatly you did them! owe you a great deal. How's your wife?"

said the lawyer, Every one of us

"Stout and healthy, sir. We speak about you many a time." "Ah! and often have I thought of you. It was all owing to you that we did Deepwell and young Everly so nicely. I wish you could render so effective assistance in a case I have now got in hand."

"There is no saying but I may, Mr Strickland," observed Ned, laughing.

"There's little chance of it," returned Strickland, laughing too, but at the same time shaking his head. "You have the will, I dare say, but have no means of acquiring the power."

"Well, you're a lawyer, and should know best!" observed Ned,

troking his chin to hide a smile. "Only, if you please to tell me the difficulty, I will have an idea whether or not I could overcome it."

The lawyer mused a little, then answered, "Well, knowing how shrewd and prudent you are, I don't mind if I do. If you cannot mend, I am convinced you will not mar the matter. Have you heard of the discovery regarding Mr Everly's friend, Henry?"

"Never a word of it till this morning. Mrs Ford told me of it." "Then she perhaps informed you that we are dreadfully in want of legal proof."

I

"She spoke of the absence of what she called the marriage lines. suppose she meant the certificate."

"Just so; and without that certificate, we are powerless. Now, Ned, is this not very provoking, to know that Henry is the heir to Rockhart Hall, and yet not able to prove it?"

"But is there no chance of the certificate turning up?" asked Ned, pressing the papers to his breast with great satisfaction. Mr Strickland bent forward close to the gamekeeper, and laying his finger on his arm, said, in a low voice

Ned, I am going to tell you what nobody knows but myself, what I would not even tell to your master or the man him young self. Henry is an ardent lover, and Mr Everly a man impulsive for revenge; therefore, neither can safely be trusted. Their feelings you know, are stronger than their judgments, and might lead them to serious indiscretions. What I want is, a cool, clear-headed faithful fellow, just like yourself; and I am glad you have turned up to-day. Now listen. I happen to know that there is a certificate; I know even where it is, and yet cannot come at it."

"That looks strange, doesn't it?" said Ned, striving to preserve his gravity. "It must, of course, be at Rockhart Hall.”

"No, it isn't. I have had my hand possibly within six inches of it, and yet could not lay hold of it. Now, is that not wonderful?" "Very," said Ned, looking as amazed as he could in the smiling face of the little lawyer.

66

"Well, here is the explanation. In Henry's room stands a bureau; that bureau has secret drawers, in one of which lies the certificate; but how to get into the drawer is a mystery. Now, neither Henry nor your master knows of this. In fact, nobody does but you, myself, and—a lady."

"A lady!" echoed Ned.

"That must be Mrs Ford." "Not at all, but a lady with whom you are acquainted--Miss Gray."

Goodness me! how does she come to know it?" inquired the gamekeeper, in astonishment.

"She overheard a conversation between the baronet and Dogwood, which at the time she did not understand; but which she

and I, by comparing notes, have learned the meaning of. Now, I have no hope of discovering the secret of this drawer. Henry and Mr Everly have wrought with the bureau for hours, in the hope that such a thing might be there; but all in vain-their search ended in nothing. Neither you nor I would be more successful; but the certificate we must have, and the bureau must be taken to pieces."

"Pity to spoil a good piece of furniture," said Ned, sentimentally. "Pshaw! that certificate is worth a million bureaus, Do you think Mr Everly, or Henry either, would hesitate a moment to sacrifice it, if they knew that by doing so they would effect the ruin of Sir Edward Rockhart? No, no; depend upon it, this must be done, and speedily too, for I have no doubt the cunning villain will press for a decision. Now, we must get the two gentlemen out of the way, and do this piece of work in their absence, Will assist me?"

you

"O willingly, sir, if it is necessary," said Ned, putting his hand in his breast, and pulling out some papers. By-the-bye, Mr Strickland, here is a document or two I have come to consult you about."

"What! you are going to concern yourself with the law too?" said Strickland, good-humouredly. "As a friend, I would advise you against it. But tell me your case, and the suit may be avoided."

Ned made no answer, but quietly opened the certificate, and pushed it before the lawyer.

The latter had no sooner cast his eye upon it, than starting up, he exclaimed, "God bless me, what is this? 'Certificate of Marriage between Ringald Rockhart and Lucy Armitage, at the church of Silverton, in the county of Sussex, March 16, 18-' In Heaven's name, where did you get this?"

"I told you, there was no saying but I could give you some assistance," cried Ned, his face glowing with pleasure. "Why! you are a very necromancer.

But how could this

possibly come into your possession? I thought you said you knew

nothing at all of the matter till this morning?"

"Neither I did, sir," replied Ned, composedly,

"Then where did you get the certificate?"

'Just where you said it was to be found. In a secret drawer in the bureau."

"But how, in the name of all that is wonderful, did you

the spot and the trick of the spring?"

"I didn't do the one or the other-it was shown to me."

find out

"Shown to you! Why, Ned, you are a perfect puzzle. Who showed it?"

"Guess?" replied Ned, with a laugh.

"Oh! impossible. But it must have been a friend—that is certain."

"O yes, a very good friend," chuckled Ned. Sir Edward's confidential valet, Jem Dogwood.”

"No other than

"Dogwood!" echoed the lawyer, bounding again from his seat. "Has the fellow come over to our side?"

"Not a bit of it. But I'll not keep you any longer in the dark."

And Ned told the wondering lawyer the strange adventure of the morning.

"Give me your hand," cried the latter, unable to suppress his delight, and seizing Ned's broad, rough palm in both of his. "Why, you were meant to be a lawyer-in fact, you are about as clever and discreet a fellow as I know. This is a glorious event! And you say not a soul knows of this but ourselves?" "Not one, Mr Strickland." "Capital; the game's our own. What an ass I have been, though! I might have suspected this. I might have known that the other party was aware of the existence of this paper, and its place of concealment. The baronet has a bureau of the same construction! This explains how Dogwood knew the trick of the spring. 'Twas boldly done, and very nearly successful. But a miss is as good as a mile, and was never more so than here. Let me see. unparalleled power in our hands. Do you see how, Ned?" "In course I do," replied Ned. "Whoever got that little bit of paper was sure to win the day. We have got it, so the day's ours. What better advantage can there be than this?"

We have an

"I'll tell you," whispered the lawyer; "the ability to conceal our advantage. Nothing is so glorious as to make your opponent suppose the advantage is on his side, and suddenly show your game and crush him. Do you see it now?”

"I can't say that I do," said Ned, scratching his head.

66

Why, of course Dogwood is to call again in the afternoon. He will be sure to call a little before the hour specified."

5. "Of course-I saw this in a moment. But we'll be ready to pounce upon him."

"No such thing. He must be allowed to go as freely as he comes." "You don't say so?" cried Ned, in astonishment.

"And not only that, but he must find the papers in the drawer, and take them with him."

66

O, come, come; this won't do," said Ned, with great disappro bation."This would be playing into their hands with a vengeance. Would throw away you the game when it is ours?"

Softly, my good friend, softly. I did not say these papers, or that certificate, but one very like it-one which I or one of my clerks down stairs will supply. You take it now!'