The paragraph that excited his attention and anger ran as follows:

"We are informed on good authority that the John Smith tried yesterday
on the charge of stealing a watch is no less a person than Basil
Carruthers, Esquire, the owner of Ulverston Priory, and head of one of
the oldest families in England."

"What can I do?" cried Mr. Forster; "it will break his mother's heart;
she can never forget it. He is ruined for life. For a lawyer, I am
strangely unwilling to tell a lie; but it must be done! He must be saved
at any price!" He went to his desk and wrote the following note:

"To the Editor of 'The Times':

"Sir: I beg to call your attention to a paragraph that appears in
'The Times' of today stating that a man, tried under the name of
John Smith for stealing a watch, is no less a person than Basil
Carruthers, Esq., of Ulverston Priory. As the solicitor of that
family, and manager of the Ulverston property, I beg to contradict
it. Mr. Carruthers, himself, informed me of his intention to go
abroad. Without doubt his indignant denial will follow mine. I am,
sir, etc.,

"Herbert Forster."

"That may help him," he said. "I do not like doing it, but I cannot see
my old friend's son perish without trying to save him. I may fail, but I
must try. Perhaps my lie may be blotted out, like Uncle Toby's oath. If
I can persuade him to send a denial, and date it Paris or Vienna, he
will be saved."