It might be that the very fact of his signing this second document would render that first document null and void; and from Sowerby's silence on the subject, it might be argued that this was so well known to be the case, that he had not thought of explaining it.

But yet Mark could not see how this should be so.

But what was he to do?
That threat of cost and lawyers, and specially of the newspapers, did have its effect upon him--as no doubt it was intended to do.

And then he was utterly dumbfounded by Sowerby's impudence in drawing on him for L500 instead of L400, "covering," as Sowerby so good-humouredly said, "sundry little outstanding trifles." But at last he did sign the bill, and sent it off, as Sowerby had directed.

What else was he to do?
Fool that he was.