Giles reddens, forces his eyes out from his head a bit, and, gasping, presently returns to his normal state of weak submission.
“If the notes,” Miss Mundella continues, “are to be found where the doctor’s body lies, wherever that may be, and are payable to bearer, Mr. Puttis, or any one we might send, might—I do not say would-be able to cash them for themselves, or at any rate raise money upon them. Possibly whilst trying to do this they might be asked to say how they became possessed of them, and what lawyers call mala fides might be suspected. Then you would probably get into trouble as well as they.”
“Well, then, what d’you propose?”
“I find, also,” continues the young lady, without noticing the interrupting question, “I find also that the destruction of the notes would not clear you from your liability. For by this Act of Parliament, 17 and 18 of Victoria,”—turning over the leaves of a new edition of “Byles on Bills,”—“by section eighty-seven, ‘it is provided that, in the case of any action——’”
“Oh, cut it short, Lileth!” exclaims the sufferer on the low-seated chair. “Will it do to destroy the notes instead of the nephew? That’s what I want ter know.”
The squatter’s niece continues, as if no interruption had occurred, “‘In the case of any action founded on a Bill of Exchange, Promissory Note, or other negotiable instrument, the court or judge——’”
“Oh Lord, what are yer driving at?” groans Mr. Giles.
“‘Court or judge has power to order that the loss of such instrument,’—now, listen to this, uncle,—‘the loss of such instrument shall not be set up, provided an indemnity is given, to the satisfaction of the court, or judge, or a master, against the claims of any other persons upon such negotiable instrument.’”
Although the fair young lawyer’s powers of facial command are nearly perfect, she has much ado to refrain from smiling at the muddled look of the red-faced man opposite to her.
“Don’t you remember how these notes were drawn? On demand, or at sight, or bearer?” she asks.