"Oh, rather more than two years."
"Then it's time they were copied. What papers are they?"
"I never could make out, and I don't think you could either; they're counsels' opinions, or judges' rulings, or something like that. I know when I asked you what they were you told me not to ask any questions; so I knew you didn't know."
"Mr. Gibb, you have a way of your own of arriving at conclusions. I think I recall those papers; they were here when I came into possession; they'd been stuffed up the chimney to keep out the draught or something."
"I was thinking, sir, if you could think of nothing else, that you might get Miss Lindsay to copy them."
"There's--there's something in the idea. Could we pass them off as genuine?"
"As how, sir?"
"Are they of an appearance, and character, which would enable us to induce Miss Lindsay to believe that they really are papers of importance?"
"I should think so, sir; I know it took me ever so long before I found them out."
"Ah; then it might take her a week. By that time we may have hit upon something else. Where are those papers?"