'And--and--' resumed Morris, 'even if there were no effects--this is a

very trifling sum to overdraw--our firm--the name of Finsbury, is surely

good enough for such a wretched sum as this.'

No doubt, Mr Finsbury,' returned Mr Judkin; 'and if you insist I will

take it into consideration; but I hardly think--in short, Mr Finsbury,

if there had been nothing else, the signature seems hardly all that we

could wish.'

'That's of no consequence,' replied Morris nervously. 'I'll get my uncle

to sign another. The fact is,' he went on, with a bold stroke, 'my uncle

is so far from well at present that he was unable to sign this cheque

without assistance, and I fear that my holding the pen for him may have

made the difference in the signature.'

Mr Judkin shot a keen glance into Morris's face; and then turned and

looked at Mr Bell.

'Well,' he said, 'it seems as if we had been victimized by a swindler.

Pray tell Mr Finsbury we shall put detectives on at once. As for this

cheque of yours, I regret that, owing to the way it was signed, the

bank can hardly consider it--what shall I say?--businesslike,' and he

returned the cheque across the counter.

Morris took it up mechanically; he was thinking of something very

different.

The Wrong Box