That ought to have excited attention, but it did not till, a very few weeks ago, our head-clerk, casting his eye down your account, remarked on the peculiarity, and, on examining the cheque, was inclined to believe that it was not in your usual handwriting.

He intended communicating with me, but was prevented for some days by my absence; and, in the meantime, another cheque, similar, but better imitated, was presented by the same person, and cashed, without the knowledge of the head-clerk.

On the cheque coming into his hands, he reprimanded the cashier, and he and I, having more closely examined them, came to the conclusion that they were both forgeries.

We immediately communicated with you, and, to our great surprise, received no answer either to our first or second application.
We, however, were not idle.

We ascertained that we could lay our hands on the utterer of the cheques at any moment, and tried a third letter to you, which has been successful." "The two letters you speak of have never reached me, Mr.Rollox," said Hawker.