law of real estate, and was not absolutely ignorant of the manner in which
matters were managed in that most searching of all tribunals, the Court of
Chancery. A lucky thought suggested itself to my mind on the instant, and
I made use of it on the spur of the moment.

"It is quite true, sir," I answered, "that any prudent judge might
hesitate about entering a decree on authority no better than the oath of
Mrs. Wetmore that she had heard her husband say he had paid the money; but
you will remember that the party replying has to swear to his answer. All
of us might be better satisfied in this affair, were you to make oath that
the money was never paid."

This hit told; and from that moment I did not entertain a doubt that
Wetmore had paid the money, and that Van Tassel retained a perfect
recollection of the whole affair. This much I could read in the man's
altered countenance and averted eye, though my impressions certainly were
not proof. If not proof, however, for a court of justice, they served to
enlist me earnestly in the pursuit of the affair, into which I entered
warmly from that moment. In the meantime, I waited for Van Tassel's
answer, watching his countenance the whole time, with a vigilance that I
could easily see caused him great embarrassment.

"Kitty Wetmore and I were born neighbours' children," he said; "and this
mortgage has given me more trouble than all the rest of my little
possessions. That I have been in no hurry to foreclose is plain by the
length of time I've suffered to go by, without claiming my dues. I could
wait no longer, without endangering my rights, as there would be a
presumption of payment after twenty years, and a presumption that would
tell harder against me than old Kitty's oath. We are neighbours' children,
as I've said, nevertheless, and rather than push matters to extremities I