“Did he inform you of the purpose to which he wished to put them?”

“He did, sir.  He said that he wished to verify some signatures.”

“Were you ever employed in his library at Sevenoaks, by his agent?”

“Yes, sir, I wrote there for several weeks.”

“May it please the Court, I have a letter in my hand, the genuineness of whose signature has been recognized by the defendant, written by Robert Belcher to Paul Benedict, which, as it has a direct bearing upon the case, I beg the privilege of placing in evidence.  It was written the next day after the date of the alleged assignment, and came inclosed from Benedict’s hands to mine.”

Mr. Belcher evidently recalled the letter, for he sat limp in his chair, like a man stunned.  A fierce quarrel then arose between the counsel concerning the admission of the letter.  The Judge examined it, and said that he could see no reason why it should not be admitted.  Then Mr. Balfour read the following note: 

“SEVENOAKS, May 5, 1860.

“Dear Benedict:—­I am glad to know that you are better.  Since you distrust my pledge that I will give you a reasonable share of the profits on the use of your patents, I will go to your house this afternoon, with witnesses, and have an independent paper prepared, to be signed by myself, after the assignment is executed, which will give you a definite claim upon me for royalty.  We will be there at four o’clock.

“Yours, ROBERT BELCHER.”

“Mr. Yates,” said Mr. Balfour, “have you ever seen this letter before?”

Yates took the letter, looked it over, and then said:  “I have, sir.  I found the letter in a drawer of the library-table, in Mr. Belcher’s house at Sevenoaks.  I delivered it unopened to the man to whom it was addressed, leaving him to decide the question as to whether it belonged to him or the writer.  I had no idea of its contents at the time, but became acquainted with them afterwards, for I was present at the opening of the letter.”

“That is all,” said Mr. Balfour.

“So you stole this letter, did you?” inquired Mr. Cavendish.

“I found it while in Mr. Belcher’s service, and took it personally to the man to whom it was addressed, as he apparently had the best right to it.  I am quite willing to return it to the writer, if it is decided that it belongs to him.  I had no selfish end to serve in the affair.”

Here the Judge interposed.  “The Court,” said he, “finds this letter in the hands of the plaintiff, delivered by a man who at the time was in the employ of the defendant, and had the contents of the room in his keeping.  The paper has a direct bearing on the case, and the Court will not go back of the facts stated.”