I prefer trying to report Mr.Franklin's discoveries, as nearly as may be, in Mr.Franklin's own words.
"You remember the time, Betteredge," he said, "when my father was trying to prove his title to that unlucky Dukedom?
Well! that was also the time when my uncle Herncastle returned from India.

My father discovered that his brother-in-law was in possession of certain papers which were likely to be of service to him in his lawsuit.

He called on the Colonel, on pretence of welcoming him back to England.

The Colonel was not to be deluded in that way.

'You want something,' he said, 'or you would never have compromised your reputation by calling on ME.' My father saw that the one chance for him was to show his hand; he admitted, at once, that he wanted the papers.