Abe Hirschfeld planned to hand plaintiff Paula Jones a giant mock check at a news conference today. The real money would be put in a trust fund in Dallas, where her lawyers are based.

The arrangement with Hirschfeld is a precursor to negotiations with Clinton's lawyers, an attorney in the Jones camp, speaking on condition of anonymity, said yesterday.

And then negotiations will begin with (Clinton attorney Robert Bennett ), and I don't think it will take very long,'' said the lawyer, suggesting there might be ``some common meeting ground'' over money. The lawyer said Jones' attorneys would make a new overture to Clinton on Monday. So far there has been no comment from the President's lawyers.

A spokeswoman for Hirschfeld said the news conference would announce ``an important new development'' and would include Jones'lawyers, but Hirschfeld would not comment yesterday.

Previous attempts to reach a financial settlement stalled after Jones rejected an offer of $700,000 from Bennett, insisting she wanted $one million.

Then Hirschfeld stepped into the picture, offering $one million as part of a settlement involving all parties. Last week, however, Bennett said he would only consider a settlement if it did not include ``strings attached'' referring to Hirschfeld's offer. Hirschfeld then said he was withdrawing his offer.

The White House has sought to dissociate itself from Hirschfeld, who is facing tax-evasion charges. Hirschfeld has said he injected himself into the case in hopes of ending it for the benefit of the country and the world.

Clinton's denials under oath in the Jones' case of a sexual relationship with Monica Lewinsky were the foundation for independent counsel Kenneth Starr's criminal investigation of the President. Jones' team had been demanding a total of $two million from Hirschfeld and Clinton todrop the lawsuit, which was dismissed by a judge but could be revived on appeal. But as late as on Thursday, one lawyer in the Clinton camp said the President's attorneys were inclined to put settlement talks on hold until the 8th circuit court of appeals rules on whether to revive Jones' lawsuit.

In her lawsuit, Jones claims that Clinton made a crude pass at her in a Little Rock hotel room in 1991, when he was governor of Arkansas and she was a clerk for the state.