and honestly get your own?"

"You don't know law, my dear, or you wouldn't talk nonsense about
lawyers. There are two ways. One is to go myself to the present
unlawful possessor and claim the whole. It's a woman; she would be
certain to refuse, and then we should go to law, and very likely lose
it all, although the right is on our side. The other way is for some
one--say you--to go to her and say: 'I am that man's daughter. Here
are my proofs. Here are all his papers. Give me back my own.' That you
could do in the interests of justice, though I own it is not the exact
truth."

"And if she refuses then?"

"She can't refuse, with the man's daughter actually standing before
her. She might make a fuss for a bit. But she would have to give in at
last."

"Joe, consider. You have got some papers, whatever they may contain.
Suppose that it is all true that you have told me--"

"Lotty, my dear, when did I ever tell you an untruth?"

"When did you ever tell me the truth, my dear? Don't talk wild.
Suppose it is all true, how are you going to make out where your
heiress has been all this time, and what she has been doing?"

"Trust me for that."

"I trust you for making up something or other, but--oh, Joe, you