THE HOLFORD WILL CASE.
At one time, in common, perhaps, with most people, I took a sort oflanguid, amateur interest in questions of psychology, and was impelledthere-by to plunge into the pages of the many curious and ratherabstruse books which attempt to deal with phenomena of mind, soul andsense. Three things of the real nature of which, I am convinced, no manwill ever learn more than we know at present--which is nothing.
From these I strayed into the many volumes of _Transactions_ of thePsychical Research Society, with an occasional by-excursion into mentaltelepathy and theosophy; the last, a thing whereof my Philistineintelligence obstinately refused to make head or tail.
It was while these things were occupying part of my attention that Ichanced to ask Hewitt whether, in the course of his divers odd andout-of-the-way experiences, he had met with any such weird adventures aswere detailed in such profusion in the books of "authenticated" spooks,doppelgangers, poltergeists, clairvoyance, and so forth.
"Well," Hewitt answered, with reflection, "I haven't been such awallower in the uncanny as some of the worthy people who talk at largein those books of yours, and, as a matter of fact, my little adventures,curious as some of them may seem, have been on the whole of the mostsolid and matter-of-fact description. One or two things have happenedthat perhaps your 'psychical' people might be interested in, but they'vemostly been found to be capable of a disappointingly simple explanation.One case of some genuine psychological interest, however, I have had;although there's nothing even in that which isn't a matter of well-knownscientific possibility." And he proceeded to tell me the story that Ihave set down here, as well as I can, from recollection.
I think I have already said, in another place, that Hewitt'sprofessional start as a private investigator dated from his connectionwith the famous will case of Bartley _v._ Bartley and others, in whichhis then principals, Messrs. Crellan, Hunt & Crellan, chiefly throughhis exertions established their extremely high reputation as solicitors.It was ten years or so after this case that Mr. Crellan senior--the headof the firm--retired into private life, and by an odd chance Hewitt'sfirst meeting with him after that event was occasioned by another willdifficulty.
These were the terms of the telegram that brought Hewitt again intopersonal relations with his old principal:--
"_Can you run down at once on a matter of private business? I will be atGuildford to meet eleven thirty-five from Waterloo. If later orprevented please wire. Crellan._"
The day and the state of Hewitt's engagements suited, and there was fullhalf an hour to catch the train. Taking, therefore, the smalltravelling-bag that always stood ready packed in case of any suddenexcursion that presented the possibility of a night from home, he gotearly to Waterloo, and by half-past twelve was alighting at GuildfordStation. Mr. Crellan, a hale, white-haired old gentleman, wearinggold-rimmed spectacles, was waiting with a covered carriage.
"How d'ye do, Mr. Hewitt, how d'ye do?" the old gentleman exclaimed assoon as they met, grasping Hewitt's hand, and hurrying him toward thecarriage. "I'm glad you've come, very glad. It isn't raining, and youmight have preferred something more open, but I brought the broughambecause I want to talk privately. I've been vegetating to such an extentfor the last few years down here that any little occurrence out of theordinary excites me, and I'm sure I couldn't have kept quiet till we hadgot indoors. It's been bad enough, keeping the thing to myself,already."
The door shut, and the brougham started. Mr. Crellan laid his hand onHewitt's knee, "I hope," he said, "I haven't dragged you away from anyimportant business?"
"No," Hewitt replied, "you have chosen a most excellent time. Indeed, Idid think of making a small holiday to-day, but your telegram----"
"Yes, yes. Do you know, I was almost ashamed of having sent it after ithad gone. Because, after all, the matter is, probably, really a verysimple sort of affair that you can't possibly help me in. A few yearsago I should have thought nothing of it, nothing at all. But as I havetold you, I've got into such a dull, vegetable state of mind since Iretired and have nothing to do that a little thing upsets me, and Ihaven't mental energy enough to make up my mind to go to dinnersometimes. But you're an old friend, and I'm sure you'll forgive mydragging you all down here on a matter that will, perhaps, seemridiculously simple to you, a man in the thick of active business. If Ihadn't known you so well I wouldn't have had the impudence to botheryou. But never mind all that. I'll tell you.
"Do you ever remember my speaking of an intimate friend, a Mr. Holford?No. Well, it's a long time ago, and perhaps I never happened to mentionhim. He was a most excellent man--old fellow, like me, you know; two orthree years older, as a matter of fact. We were chums many years ago; infact, we lodged in the same house when I was an articled clerk and hewas a student at Guy's. He retired from the medical profession early,having come into a fortune, and came down here to live at the housewe're going to; as a matter of fact, Wedbury Hall.
"When I retired I came down and took up my quarters not far off, and wewere a very excellent pair of old chums till last Monday--the day beforeyesterday--when my poor old friend died. He was pretty well inyears--seventy-three--and a man can't live for ever. But I assure you ithas upset me terribly, made a greater fool of me than ever, in fact,just when I ought to have my wits about me.
"The reason I particularly want my wits just now, and the reason I haverequisitioned yours, is this: that I can't find poor old Holford's will.I drew it up for him years ago, and by it I was appointed his soleexecutor. I am perfectly convinced that he cannot have destroyed it,because he told me everything concerning his affairs. I have always beenhis only adviser, in fact, and I'm sure he would have consulted me asto any change in his testamentary intentions before he made it.Moreover, there are reasons why I know he could not have wished to dieintestate."
"Which are----?" queried Hewitt as Mr. Crellan paused in his statement.
"Which are these: Holford was a widower, with no children of his own.His wife, who has been dead nearly fifteen years now, was a mostexcellent woman, a model wife, and would have been a model mother if shehad been one at all. As it was she adopted a little girl, a poor littlesoul who was left an orphan at two years of age. The child's father, anunsuccessful man of business of the name of Garth, maddened by a suddenand ruinous loss, committed suicide, and his wife died of the shockoccasioned by the calamity.
"The child, as I have said, was taken by Mrs. Holford and made adaughter of, and my old friend's daughter she has been ever since,practically speaking. The poor old fellow couldn't possibly have beenmore attached to a daughter of his own, and on her part she couldn'tpossibly have been a better daughter than she was. She stuck by himnight and day during his last illness, until she became rather illherself, although of course there was a regular nurse always inattendance.
"Now, in his will, Mr. Holford bequeathed rather more than half of hisvery large property to this Miss Garth; that is to say, as residuarylegatee, her interest in the will came to about that. The rest wasdistributed in various ways. Holford had largely spent the leisure ofhis retirement in scientific pursuits. So there were a few legacies tolearned societies; all his servants were remembered; he left me acertain number of his books; and there was a very fair sum of money forhis nephew, Mr. Cranley Mellis, the only near relation of Mr. Holford'sstill living. So that you see what the loss of this will may mean. MissGarth, who was to have taken the greater part of her adoptive father'sproperty, will not have one shilling's worth of claim on the estate andwill be turned out into the world without a cent. One or two very oldservants will be very awkwardly placed, too, with nothing to live on,and very little prospect of doing more work."
"Everything will go to this nephew," said Hewitt, "of course?"
"Of course. That is unless I attempt to prove a rough copy of the willwhich I may possibly have by me. But even if I have such a thing andfind it, long and costly litigation would be called for, and the resultwould probably be all against us."
"You say you feel sure
Mr. Holford did not destroy the will himself?"
"I am quite sure he would never have done so without telling me of it;indeed, I am sure he would have consulted me first. Moreover, it cannever have been his intention to leave Miss Garth utterly unprovidedfor; it would be the same thing as disinheriting his only daughter."
"Did you see him frequently?"
"There's scarcely been a day when I haven't seen him since I have liveddown here. During his illness--it lasted a month--I saw him every day."
"And he said nothing of destroying his will?"
"Nothing at all. On the contrary, soon after his first seizure--indeed,on the first visit at which I found him in bed--he said, after tellingme how he felt, 'Everything's as I want it, you know, in case I gounder.' That seemed to me to mean his will was still as he desired it tobe."
"Well, yes, it would seem so. But counsel on the other side (supposingthere were another side) might quite as plausibly argue that he meant todie intestate, and had destroyed his will so that everything should beas he wanted it, in that sense. But what do you want me to do--find thewill?"
"Certainly, if you can. It seemed to me that you, with your clever head,might be able to form a better judgment than I as to what has happenedand who is responsible for it. Because if the will _has_ been takenaway, some one has taken it."
"It seems probable. Have you told any one of your difficulty?"
"Not a soul. I came over as soon as I could after Mr. Holford's death,and Miss Garth gave me all the keys, because, as executor, the casebeing a peculiar one, I wished to see that all was in order, and, as youknow, the estate is legally vested in the executor from the death of thetestator, so that I was responsible for everything; although, of course,if there is no will I'm not executor. But I thought it best to keep thedifficulty to myself till I saw you."
"Quite right. Is this Wedbury Hall?"
The brougham had passed a lodge gate, and approached, by a wide drive, afine old red brick mansion carrying the heavy stone dressings andcopings distinctive of early eighteenth century domestic architecture.
"Yes," said Mr. Crellan, "this is the place. We will go straight to thestudy, I think, and then I can explain details."
The study told the tale of the late Mr. Holford's habits and interests.It was half a library, half a scientific laboratory--pathologicalcuriosities in spirits, a retort or two, test tubes on thewriting-table, and a fossilized lizard mounted in a case, balanced themany shelves and cases of books disposed about the walls. In a recessbetween two book-cases stood a heavy, old-fashioned mahogany bureau.
"Now it was in that bureau," Mr. Crellan explained, indicating it withhis finger, "that Mr. Holford kept every document that was in thesmallest degree important or valuable. I have seen him at it a hundredtimes, and he always maintained it was as secure as any iron safe. Thatmay not have been altogether the fact, but the bureau is certainly atremendously heavy and strong one. Feel it."
Hewitt took down the front and pulled out a drawer that Mr. Crellanunlocked for the purpose.
"Solid Spanish mahogany an inch thick," was his verdict, "heavy, hard,and seasoned; not the sort of thing you can buy nowadays. Locks, Chubb'spatent, early pattern, but not easily to be picked by anything short ofa blast of gunpowder. If there are no marks on this bureau it hasn'tbeen tampered with."
"Well," Mr. Crellan pursued, "as I say, _that_ was where Mr. Holfordkept his will. I have often seen it when we have been here together, andthis was the drawer, the top on the right, that he kept it in. The willwas a mere single sheet of foolscap, and was kept, folded of course, ina blue envelope."
"When did you yourself last actually see the will?"
"I saw it in my friend's hand two days before he took to his bed. Hemerely lifted it in his hand to get at something else in the drawer,replaced it, and locked the drawer again."
"Of course there are other drawers, bureaux, and so on, about the place.You have examined them carefully, I take it?"
"I've turned out ever possible receptacle for that will in the house, Ipositively assure you, and there isn't a trace of it."
"You've thought of secret drawers, I suppose?"
"Yes. There are two in the bureau which I always knew of. Here theyare." Mr. Crellan pressed his thumb against a partition of thepigeon-holes at the back of the bureau and a strip of mahogany flew outfrom below, revealing two shallow drawers with small ivory catches inlieu of knobs. "Nothing there at all. And this other, as I have said,was the drawer where the will was kept. The other papers kept in thesame drawer are here as usual."
"Did anybody else know where Mr. Holford kept his will?"
"Everybody in the house, I should think. He was a frank, above-boardsort of man. His adopted daughter knew, and the butler knew, and therewas absolutely no reason why all the other servants shouldn't know;probably they did."
"First," said Hewitt, "we will make quite sure there are no more secretdrawers about this bureau. Lock the door in case anybody comes."
Hewitt took out every drawer of the bureau, and examined every part ofeach before he laid it aside. Then he produced a small pair of silvercallipers and an ivory pocket-rule and went over every inch of the heavyframework, measuring, comparing, tapping, adding, and subtractingdimensions. In the end he rose to his feet satisfied. "There is mostcertainly nothing concealed there," he said.
The drawers were put back, and Mr. Crellan suggested lunch. At Hewitt'ssuggestion it was brought to the study.
"So far," Hewitt said, "we arrive at this: either Mr. Holford hasdestroyed his will, or he has most effectually concealed it, or somebodyhas stolen it. The first of these possibilities you don't favour."
"I don't believe it is a possibility for a moment. I have told you why;and I knew Holford so well, you know. For the same reasons I am sure henever concealed it."
"Very well, then. Somebody has stolen it. The question is, who?"
"That is so."
"It seems to me that every one in this house had a direct and personalinterest in preserving that will. The servants have all something leftthem, you say, and without the will that goes, of course. Miss Garthhas the greatest possible interest in the will. The only person I haveheard of as yet who would benefit by its loss or destruction would bethe nephew, Mr. Mellis. There are no other relatives, you say, who wouldbenefit by intestacy?"
"Not one."
"Well, what do you think yourself, now? Have you any suspicions?"
Mr. Crellan shrugged his shoulders. "I've no more right to suspicionsthan you have, I suppose," he said. "Of course, if there are to besuspicions they can only point one way. Mr. Mellis is the only personwho can gain by the disappearance of this will."
"Just so, Now, what do you know of him?"
"I don't know much of the young man," Mr. Crellan said slowly. "I mustsay I never particularly took to him. He is rather a clever fellow, Ibelieve. He was called to the bar some time ago, and afterwards studiedmedicine, I believe, with the idea of priming himself for a practice inmedical jurisprudence. He took a good deal of interest in my oldfriend's researches, I am told--at any rate he _said_ he did; he mayhave been thinking of his uncle's fortune. But they had a small tiff onsome medical question. I don't know exactly what it was, but Mr. Holfordobjected to something--a method of research or something of thatkind--as being dangerous and unprofessional. There was no actualrupture between them, you understand, but Mellis's visits slacked off,and there was a coolness."
"Where is Mr. Mellis now?"
"In London, I believe."
"Has he been in this house between the day you last saw the will in thatdrawer and yesterday, when you failed to find it?"
"Only once. He came to see his uncle two days before his death--lastSaturday, in fact. He didn't stay long."
"Did you see him?"
"Yes."
"What did he do?"
"Merely came into the room for a few minutes--visitors weren't allowedto stay long--spoke a little to his uncle, and went back to town."
&n
bsp; "Did he do nothing else, or see anybody else?"
"Miss Garth went out of the room with him as he left, and I should thinkthey talked for a little before he went away, to judge by the time shewas gone; but I don't know."
"You are sure he went then?"
"I saw him in the drive as I looked from the window."
"Miss Garth, you say, has kept all the keys since the beginning of Mr.Holford's illness?"
"Yes, until she gave them up to me yesterday. Indeed, the nurse, who israther a peppery customer, and was jealous of Miss Garth's presence inthe sick room all along, made several difficulties about having to go toher for everything."
"And there is no doubt of the bureau having been kept locked all thetime?"
"None at all. I have asked Miss Garth that--and, indeed, a good manyother things--without saying why I wanted the information."
"How are Mr. Mellis and Miss Garth affected toward one another--are theyfriendly?"
"Oh, yes. Indeed, some while ago I rather fancied that Mellis wasdisposed to pay serious addresses in that quarter. He may have had afancy that way, or he may have been attracted by the young lady'sexpectations. At any rate, nothing definite seems to have come of it asyet. But I must say--between ourselves, of course--I have more than oncenoticed a decided air of agitation, shyness perhaps, in Miss Garth whenMr. Mellis has been present. But, at any rate, that scarcely matters.She is twenty-four years of age now, and can do as she likes. Although,if I had anything to say in the matter--well, never mind."
"You, I take it, have known Miss Garth a long time?"
"Bless you, yes. Danced her on my knee twenty years ago. I've been her'Uncle Leonard' all her life."
"Well, I think we must at least let Miss Garth know of the loss of thewill. Perhaps, when they have cleared away these plates, she will comehere for a few minutes."
"I'll go and ask her," Mr. Crellan answered, and having rung the bell,proceeded to find Miss Garth.
Presently he returned with the lady. She was a slight, very pale youngwoman; no doubt rather pretty in ordinary, but now not looking her best.She was evidently worn and nervous from anxiety and want of sleep, andher eyes were sadly inflamed. As the wind slammed a loose casementbehind her she started nervously, and placed her hand to her head.
"Sit down at once, my dear," Mr. Crellan said; "sit down. This is Mr.Martin Hewitt, whom I have taken the liberty of inviting down here tohelp me in a very important matter. The fact is, my dear," Mr. Crellanadded gravely, "I can't find your poor father's will."
Miss Garth was not surprised. "I thought so," she said mildly, "when youasked me about the bureau yesterday."
"Of course I need not say, my dear, what a serious thing it may be foryou if that will cannot be found. So I hope you'll try and tell Mr.Hewitt here anything he wants to know as well as you can, withoutforgetting a single thing. I'm pretty sure that he will find it for usif it is to be found."
"I understand, Miss Garth," Hewitt asked, "that the keys of that bureaunever left your possession during the whole time of Mr. Holford's lastillness, and that the bureau was kept locked?"
"Yes, that is so."
"Did you ever have occasion to go to the bureau yourself?"
"No, I have not touched it."
"Then you can answer for it, I presume, that the bureau was neverunlocked by _any one_ from the time Mr. Holford placed the keys in yourhands till you gave them to Mr. Crellan?"
"Yes, I am sure of that."
"Very good. Now is there any place on the whole premises that you cansuggest where this will may possibly be hidden?"
"There is no place that Mr. Crellan doesn't know of, I'm sure."
"It is an old house, I observe," Hewitt pursued. "Do you know of anyplace of concealment in the structure--any secret doors, I mean, youknow, or sliding panels, or hollow door frames, and so forth?"
Miss Garth shook her head. "There is not a single place of the sort youspeak of in the whole building, so far as I know," she said, "and Ihave lived here almost all my life."
"You knew the purport of Mr. Holford's will, I take it, and understandwhat its loss may mean to yourself?"
"Perfectly."
"Now I must ask you to consider carefully. Take your mind back to two orthree days before Mr. Holford's illness began, and tell me if you canremember any single fact, occurrence, word, or hint from that day tothis in any way bearing on the will or anything connected with it?"
Miss Garth shook her head thoughtfully. "I can't remember the thingbeing mentioned by anybody, except perhaps by the nurse, who is rather atouchy sort of woman, and once or twice took it upon herself to hintthat my recent anxiety was chiefly about my poor father's money. Andthat once, when I had done some small thing for him, my father--I havealways called him father, you know--said that he wouldn't forget it, orthat I should be rewarded, or something of that sort. Nothing else thatI can remember in the remotest degree concerned the will."
"Mr. Mellis said nothing about it, then?"
Miss Garth changed colour slightly, but answered, "No, I only saw him tothe door."
"Thank you, Miss Garth, I won't trouble you any further just now. Butif you _can_ remember anything more in the course of the next few hoursit may turn out to be of great service."
Miss Garth bowed and withdrew. Mr. Crellan shut the door behind her andreturned to Hewitt. "_That_ doesn't carry us much further," he said."The more certain it seems that the will cannot have been got at, themore difficult our position is from a legal point of view. What shall wedo now?"
"Is the nurse still about the place?"
"Yes, I believe so."
"Then I'll speak to her."
The nurse came in response to Mr. Crellan's summons: a sharp-featured,pragmatical woman of forty-five. She took the seat offered her, andwaited for Hewitt's questions.
"You were in attendance on Mr. Holford, I believe, Mrs. Turton, sincethe beginning of his last illness?"
"Since October 24th."
"Were you present when Mr. Mellis came to see his uncle last Saturday?"
"Yes."
"Can you tell me what took place?"
"As to what the gentleman said to Mr. Holford," the nurse replied,bridling slightly, "of course I don't know anything, it not being mybusiness and not intended for my ears. Mr. Crellan was there, and knowsas much as I do, and so does Miss Garth. I only know that Mr. Mellisstayed for a few minutes and then went out of the room with Miss Garth."
"How long was Miss Garth gone?"
"I don't know, ten minutes or a quarter of an hour, perhaps."
"Now Mrs. Turton, I want you to tell me in confidence--it is veryimportant--whether you, at any time, heard Mr. Holford during hisillness say anything of his wishes as to how his property was to be leftin case of his death?"
The nurse started and looked keenly from Hewitt to Mr. Crellan and backagain.
"Is it the will you mean?" she asked sharply.
"Yes. Did he mention it?"
"You mean you can't find the will, isn't that it?"
"Well, suppose it is, what then?"
"Suppose won't do," the nurse answered shortly; "I _do_ know somethingabout the will, and I believe you can't find it."
"I'm sure, Mrs. Turton, that if you know anything about the will youwill tell Mr. Crellan in the interests of right and justice."
"And who's to protect me against the spite of those I shall offend if Itell you?"
Mr. Crellan interposed.
"Whatever you tell us, Mrs. Turton," he said, "will be held in thestrictest confidence, and the source of our information shall not bedivulged. For that I give you my word of honour. And, I need scarcelyadd, I will see that you come to no harm by anything you may say."
"Then the will _is_ lost. I may understand that?"
Hewitt's features were impassive and impenetrable. But in Mr. Crellan'sdisturbed face the nurse saw a plain answer in the affirmative.
"Yes," she said, "I see that's the trouble. Well, I know who took it."
&
nbsp; "Then who was it?"
"_Miss Garth!_"
"Miss Garth! Nonsense!" cried Mr. Crellan, starting upright. "Nonsense!"
"It may be nonsense," the nurse replied slowly, with a monotonousemphasis on each word. "It may be nonsense, but it's a fact. I saw hertake it."
Mr. Crellan simply gasped. Hewitt drew his chair a little nearer.
"If you saw her take it," he said gently, closely watching the woman'sface the while, "then, of course, there's no doubt."
"I tell you I saw her take it," the nurse repeated. "What was in it,and what her game was in taking it, I don't know. But it was in thatbureau, wasn't it?"
"Yes--probably."
"In the right hand top drawer?"
"Yes."
"A white paper in a blue envelope?"
"Yes."
"Then I saw her take it, as I said before. She unlocked that drawerbefore my eyes, took it out, and locked the drawer again."
Mr. Crellan turned blankly to Hewitt, but Hewitt kept his eyes on thenurse's face.
"When did this occur?" he asked, "and how?"
"It was on Saturday night, rather late. Everybody was in bed but MissGarth and myself, and she had been down to the dining-room forsomething. Mr. Holford was asleep, so as I wanted to re-fill thewater-bottle, I took it up and went. As I was passing the door of thisroom that we are in now, I heard a noise, and looked in at the door,which was open. There was a candle on the table which had been leftthere earlier in the evening. Miss Garth was opening the top right handdrawer of _that_ bureau"--Mrs. Turton stabbed her finger spitefullytoward the piece of furniture, as though she owed it a personalgrudge--"and I saw her take out a blue foolscap envelope, and as theflap was open, I could see the enclosed paper was white. She shut thedrawer, locked it, and came out of the room with the envelope in herhand."
"And what did you do?"
"I hurried on, and she came away without seeing me, and went in theopposite direction--toward the small staircase."
"Perhaps," Mr. Crellan ventured at a blurt, "perhaps she was walking inher sleep?"
"That she wasn't!" the nurse replied, "for she came back to Mr.Holford's room almost as soon as I returned there, and asked somequestions about the medicine--which was nothing new, for I must say shewas very fond of interfering in things that were part of my business."
"That is quite certain, I suppose," Hewitt remarked--"that she could nothave been asleep?"
"Quite certain. She talked for about a quarter of an hour, and wanted tokiss Mr. Holford, which might have wakened him, before she went to bed.In fact, I may say we had a disagreement."
Hewitt did not take his steady gaze from the nurse's face for someseconds after she had finished speaking. Then he only said, "Thank you,Mrs. Turton. I need scarcely assure you, after what Mr. Crellan hassaid, that your confidence shall not be betrayed. I think that is all,unless you have more to tell us."
Mrs. Turton bowed and rose. "There is nothing more," she said, and leftthe room.
As soon as she had gone, "Is Mrs. Turton at all interested in the will,"Hewitt asked.
"No, there is nothing for her. She is a new-comer, you see. Perhaps,"Mr. Crellan went on, struck by an idea, "she may be jealous, orsomething. She seems a spiteful woman--and really, I can't believe herstory for a moment."
"Why?"
"Well, you see, it's absurd. Why should Miss Garth go to all this secrettrouble to do herself an injury--to make a beggar of herself? Andbesides, she's not in the habit of telling barefaced lies. Shedistinctly assured us, you remember, that she had never been to thebureau for any purpose whatever."
"But the nurse has an honest character, hasn't she?"
"Yes, her character is excellent. Indeed, from all accounts, she is avery excellent woman, except for a desire to govern everybody, and ahabit of spite if she is thwarted. But, of course, that sort of thingsometimes leads people rather far."
"So it does," Hewitt replied. "But consider now. Is it not possible thatMiss Garth, completely infatuated with Mr. Mellis, thinks she is doinga noble thing for him by destroying the will and giving up her wholeclaim to his uncle's property? Devoted women do just such things, youknow."
Mr. Crellan stared, bent his head to his hand, and considered. "So theydo, so they do," he said. "Insane foolery. Really, it's the sort ofthing I can imagine her doing--she's honour and generosity itself. Butthen those lies," he resumed, sitting up and slapping his leg; "I can'tbelieve she'd tell such tremendous lies as that for anybody. And withsuch a calm face, too--I'm sure she couldn't."
"Well, that's as it may be. You can scarcely set a limit to the lengthsa woman will go on behalf of a man she loves. I suppose, by the bye,Miss Garth is not exactly what you would call a 'strong-minded' woman?"
"No, she's not that. She'd never get on in the world by herself. She's agood little soul, but nervous--very; and her month of anxiety, grief,and want of sleep seems to have broken her up."
"Mr. Mellis knows of the death, I suppose?"
"I telegraphed to him at his chambers in London the first thingyesterday--Tuesday--morning, as soon as the telegraph office was open.He came here (as I've forgotten to tell you as yet) the first thingthis morning--before I was over here myself, in fact. He had beenstaying not far off--at Ockham, I think--and the telegram had been senton. He saw Miss Garth, but couldn't stay, having to get back to London.I met him going away as I came, about eleven o'clock. Of course I saidnothing about the fact that I couldn't find the will, but he willprobably be down again soon, and may ask questions."
"Yes," Hewitt replied. "And speaking of that matter, you can no doubttalk with Miss Garth on very intimate and familiar terms?"
"Oh yes--yes; I've told you what old friends we are."
"I wish you could manage, at some favourable opportunity to-day, tospeak to her alone, and without referring to the will in any way, get toknow, as circumspectly and delicately as you can, how she stands inregard to Mr. Mellis. Whether he is an accepted lover, or likely to beone, you know. Whatever answer you may get, you may judge, I expect, byher manner how things really are."
"Very good--I'll seize the first chance. Meanwhile what to do?"
"Nothing, I'm afraid, except perhaps to examine other pieces offurniture as closely as we have examined this bureau."
Other bureaux, desks, tables, and chests were examined fruitlessly. Itwas not until after dinner that Mr. Crellan saw a favourable opportunityof sounding Miss Garth as he had promised. Half an hour later he came toHewitt in the study, more puzzled than ever.
"There's no engagement between them," he reported, "secret or open, norever has been. It seems, from what I can make out, going to work asdiplomatically as possible, that Mellis _did_ propose to her, orsomething very near it, a time ago, and was point-blank refused.Altogether, Miss Garth's sentiment for him appears to be rather dislikethan otherwise."
"That rather knocks a hole in the theory of self-sacrifice, doesn't it?"Hewitt remarked. "I shall have to think over this, and sleep on it. It'spossible that it may be necessary to-morrow for you to tax Miss Garth,point-blank, with having taken away the will. Still, I hope not."
"I hope not, too," Mr. Crellan said, rather dubious as to the result ofsuch an experiment. "She has been quite upset enough already. And, bythe bye, she didn't seem any the better or more composed after Mellis'visit this morning."
"Still, _then_ the will was gone."
"Yes."
And so Hewitt and Mr. Crellan talked on late into the evening, turningover every apparent possibility and finding reason in none. Thehousehold went to bed at ten, and, soon after, Miss Garth came to bidMr. Crellan good-night. It had been settled that both Martin Hewitt andMr. Crellan should stay the night at Wedbury Hall.
Soon all was still, and the ticking of the tall clock in the hall belowcould be heard as distinctly as though it were in the study, while therain without dropped from eaves and sills in regular splashes. Twelveo'clock struck, and Mr. Crellan was about to suggest retirement, whenthe sound of a
light footstep startled Hewitt's alert ear. He raised hishand to enjoin silence, and stepped to the door of the room, Mr. Crellanfollowing him.
There was a light over the staircase, seven or eight yards away, anddown the stairs came Miss Garth in dressing gown and slippers; sheturned at the landing and vanished in a passage leading to the right.
"Where does that lead to?" Hewitt whispered hurriedly.
"Toward the small staircase--other end of house," Mr. Crellan replied inthe same tones.
"Come quietly," said Hewitt, and stepped lightly after Miss Garth, Mr.Crellan at his heels.
She was nearing the opposite end of the passage, walking at a fair paceand looking neither to right nor left. There was another light over thesmaller staircase at the end. Without hesitation Miss Garth turned downthe stairs till about half down the flight, and then stopped and pressedher hand against the oak wainscot.
Immediately the vertical piece of framing against which she had placedher hand turned on central pivots top and bottom, revealing a smallrecess, three feet high and little more than six inches wide. Miss Garthstooped and felt about at the bottom of this recess for several seconds.Then with every sign of extreme agitation and horror she withdrew herhand empty, and sank on the stairs. Her head rolled from side to side onher shoulders, and beads of perspiration stood on her forehead. Hewittwith difficulty restrained Mr. Crellan from going to her assistance.
Presently, with a sort of shuddering sigh, Miss Garth rose, and afterstanding irresolute for a moment, descended the flight of stairs to thebottom. There she stopped again, and pressing her hand to her forehead,turned and began to re-ascend the stairs.
Hewitt touched his companion's arm, and the two hastily but noiselesslymade their way back along the passage to the study. Miss Garth left theopen framing as it was, reached the top of the landing, and withoutstopping proceeded along the passage and turned up the main staircase,while Hewitt and Mr. Crellan still watched her from the study door.
At the top of the flight she turned to the right, and up three or fourmore steps toward her own room. There she stopped, and leanedthoughtfully on the handrail.
"Go up," whispered Hewitt to Mr. Crellan, "as though you were going tobed. Appear surprised to see her; ask if she isn't well, and, if youcan, manage to repeat that question of mine about secret hiding-placesin the house."
Mr. Crellan nodded and started quickly up the stairs. Half-way up heturned his head, and, as he went on, "Why, Nelly, my dear," he said,"what's the matter? Aren't you well?"
Mr. Crellan acted his part well, and waiting below, Hewitt heard thisdialogue:
"No, uncle, I don't feel very well, but it's nothing. I think my roomseems close. I can scarcely breathe."
"Oh, it isn't close to-night. You'll be catching cold, my dear. Go andhave a good sleep; you mustn't worry that wise little head of yours, youknow. Mr. Hewitt and I have been making quite a night of it, but I'm offto bed now."
"I hope they've made you both quite comfortable, uncle?"
"Oh, yes; capital, capital. We've been talking over business, and, nodoubt, we shall put that matter all in order soon. By the bye, I supposesince you saw Mr. Hewitt you haven't happened to remember anything moreto tell him?"
"No."
"You still can't remember any hiding-places or panels, or that sort ofthing in the wainscot or anywhere?"
"No, I'm sure I don't know of any, and I don't believe for a moment thatany exist."
"Quite sure of that, I suppose?"
"Oh yes."
"All right. Now go to bed. You'll catch _such_ a cold in these draughtylandings. Come, I won't move a step till I see your door shut behindyou. Good-night."
"Good-night, uncle."
Mr. Crellan came downstairs again with a face of blank puzzlement.
"I wouldn't have believed it," he assured Martin Hewitt; "positively Iwouldn't have believed she'd have told such a lie, and with suchconfidence, too. There's something deep and horrible here, I'm afraid.What does it mean?"
"We'll talk of that afterwards," Hewitt replied. "Come now and take alook at that recess."
They went, quietly still, to the small staircase, and there, with acandle, closely examined the recess. It was a mere box, three feet high,a foot or a little more deep, and six or seven inches wide. The piece ofoak framing, pivoted to the stair at the bottom and to a horizontalpiece of framing at the top, stood edge forward, dividing the openingdown the centre. There was nothing whatever in the recess.
Hewitt ascertained that there was no catch, the plank simply remainingshut by virtue of fitting tightly, so that nothing but pressure on theproper part was requisite to open it. He had closed the plank and turnedto speak to Mr. Crellan, when another interruption occurred.
On each floor the two staircases were joined by passages, and theground-floor passage, from the foot of the flight they were on, led tothe entrance hall. Distinct amid the loud clicking of the hall clock,Hewitt now heard a sound, as of a person's foot shifting on a stonestep.
Mr. Crellan heard it too, and each glanced at the other. Then Hewitt,shading the candle with his hand, led the way to the hall. There theylistened for several seconds--almost an hour--it seemed--and then thenoise was repeated. There was no doubt of it. It was at the other sideof the front door.
In answer to Hewitt's hurried whispers, Mr. Crellan assured him thatthere was no window from which, in the dark, a view could be got of aperson standing outside the door. Also that any other way out would beequally noisy, and would entail the circuit of the house. The front doorwas fastened by three heavy bolts, an immense old-fashioned lock, and abar. It would take nearly a minute to open at least, even if everythingwent easily. But, as there was no other way, Hewitt determined to tryit. Handing the candle to his companion, he first lifted the bar,conceiving that it might be done with the least noise. It went easily,and, handling it carefully, Hewitt let it hang from its rivet without asound. Just then, glancing at Mr. Crellan, he saw that he was forgettingto shade the candle, whose rays extended through the fanlight above thedoor, and probably through the wide crack under it. But it was too late.At the same moment the light was evidently perceived from outside; therewas a hurried jump from the steps, and for an instant a sound of runningon gravel. Hewitt tore back the bolts, flung the door open, and dashedout into the darkness, leaving Mr. Crellan on the doorstep with thecandle.
Hewitt was gone, perhaps, five or ten minutes, although to Mr.Crellan--standing there at the open door in a state of high nervoustension, and with no notion of what was happening or what it allmeant--the time seemed an eternity. When at last Hewitt reached the dooragain, "What was it?" asked Mr. Crellan, much agitated. "Did you see?Have you caught them?"
Hewitt shook his head.
"I hadn't a chance," he said. "The wall is low over there, and there's aplantation of trees at the other side. But I think--yes, I begin tothink--that I may possibly be able to see my way through this businessin a little while. See this?"
On the top step in the sheltered porch there remained the wet prints oftwo feet. Hewitt took a letter from his pocket, opened it out, spread itcarefully over the more perfect of the two marks, pressed it lightly andlifted it. Then, when the door was shut, he produced his pocketscissors, and with great care cut away the paper round the wet part,leaving a piece, of course, the shape of a boot sole.
"Come," said Hewitt, "we may get at something after all. Don't ask me totell you anything now; I don't know anything, as a matter of fact. Ihope this is the end of the night's entertainment, but I'm afraid thecase is rather an unpleasant business. There is nothing for us to do nowbut to go to bed, I think. I suppose there's a handy man kept about theplace?"
"Yes, he's gardener and carpenter and carpet-beater, and so on."
"Good! Where's his sanctum? Where does he keep his shovels and carpetsticks?"
"In the shed by the coach house, I believe. I think it's generallyunlocked."
"Very good. We've earned a night's rest, and now we'll have it."
r /> The next morning, after breakfast, Hewitt took Mr. Crellan into thestudy.
"Can you manage," he said, "to send Miss Garth out for a walk thismorning--with somebody?"
"I can send her out for a ride with the groom--unless she thinks itwouldn't be the thing to go riding so soon after her bereavement."
"Never mind, that will do. Send her at once, and see that she goes. Callit doctor's orders; say she must go for her health's sake--anything."
Mr. Crellan departed, used his influence, and in half an hour Miss Garthhad gone.
"I was up pretty early this morning," Hewitt remarked on Mr. Crellan'sreturn to the study, "and, among other things, I sent a telegram toLondon. Unless my eyes deceive me, a boy with a peaked cap--a telegraphboy, in fact--is coming up the drive this moment. Yes, he is. It isprobably my answer."
In a few minutes a telegram was brought in. Hewitt read it and thenasked,--
"Your friend Mr. Mellis, I understand, was going straight to townyesterday morning?"
"Yes."
"Read that, then."
Mr. Crellan took the telegram and read:
"_Mellis did not sleep at chambers last night. Been out of town for somedays past. Kerrett._"
Mr. Crellan looked up.
"Who's Kerrett?" he asked.
"Lad in my office; sharp fellow. You see, Mellis didn't go to town afterall. As a matter of fact, I believe he was nearer this place than wethought. You said he had a disagreement with his uncle because ofscientific practices which the old gentleman considered 'dangerous andunprofessional,' I think?"
"Yes, that was the case."
"Ah, then the key to all the mystery of the will is in this room."
"Where?"
"There." Hewitt pointed to the book-cases. "Read Bernheim's _SuggestiveTherapeutics_, and one or two books of Heidenhain's and Bjoernstroem's andyou'll see the thing more clearly than you can without them; but thatwould be rather a long sort of job, so----but why, who's this? Somebodycoming up the drive in a fly, isn't it?"
"Yes," Mr. Crellan replied, looking out of the window. Presently headded, "It's Cranley Mellis."
"Ah," said Hewitt, "he won't trouble us for a little. I'll bet you apenny cake he goes first by himself to the small staircase and triesthat secret recess. If you get a little way along the passage you willbe able to see him; but that will scarcely matter--I can see you don'tguess now what I am driving at."
"I don't in the least."
"I told you the names of the books in which you could read the matterup; but that would be too long for the present purpose. The thing isfairly well summarised, I see, in that encyclopaedia there in the corner.I have put a marker in volume seven. Do you mind opening it at thatplace and seeing for yourself?"
Mr. Crellan, doubtful and bewildered, reached the volume. It openedreadily, and in the place where it opened lay a blue foolscap envelope.The old gentleman took the envelope, drew from it a white paper, staredfirst at the paper, then at Hewitt, then at the paper again, let thevolume slide from his lap, and gasped,--
"Why--why--it's the will!"
"Ah, so I thought," said Hewitt, catching the book as it fell. "Butdon't lose this place in the encyclopaedia. Read the name of the article.What is it?"
Mr. Crellan looked absent-mindedly at the title, holding the will beforehim all the time. Then, mechanically, he read aloud the word,"_Hypnotism_."
"Hypnotism it is," Hewitt answered. "A dangerous and terrible power inthe hands of an unscrupulous man."
"But--but how? I don't understand it. This--this is the real will, Isuppose?"
"Look at it; you know best."
Mr. Crellan looked.
"Yes," he said, "this certainly is the will. But where did it come from?It hasn't been in this book all the time, has it?"
"No. Didn't I tell you I put it there myself as a marker? But come,you'll understand my explanation better if I first read you a few linesfrom this article. See here now:--
'Although hypnotism has power for good when properly used by medicalmen, it is an exceedingly dangerous weapon in the hands of the unskilfulor unscrupulous. Crimes have been committed by persons who have beenhypnotised. Just as a person when hypnotised is rendered extremelyimpressionable, and therefore capable of receiving beneficialsuggestions, so he is nearly as liable to receive suggestions for evil;and it is quite possible for an hypnotic subject, while under hypnoticinfluence, to be impressed with the belief that he is to commit some actafter the influence is removed, and that act he is safe to commit,acting at the time as an automaton. Suggestions may be thus made ofwhich the subject, in his subsequent uninfluenced moments, has no idea,but which he will proceed to carry out automatically at the timeappointed. In the case of a complete state of hypnotism the subject hassubsequently no recollection whatever of what has happened. Personswhose will or nerve power has been weakened by fear or other similarcauses can be hypnotised without consent on their part.'"
"There now, what do you make of that?"
"Why, do you mean that Miss Garth has been hypnotised by--by--CranleyMellis?"
"I think that is the case; indeed, I am pretty sure of it. Notice, onthe occasion of each of his last two visits, he was alone with MissGarth for some little time. On the evening following each of thosevisits she does something which she afterwards knows nothingabout--something connected with the disappearance of this will, the onlything standing between Mr. Mellis and the whole of his uncle's property.Who could have been in a weaker nervous state than Miss Garth has beenlately? Remember, too, on the visit of last Saturday, while Miss Garthsays she only showed Mellis to the door, both you and the nurse speak oftheir being gone some little time. Miss Garth must have forgotten whattook place then, when Mellis hypnotised her, and impressed on her thesuggestion that she should take Mr. Holford's will that night, longafter he--Mellis--had gone, and when he could not be suspected ofknowing anything of it. Further, that she should, at that time when hermovements would be less likely to be observed, secrete that will in aplace of hiding known only to himself."
"Dear, dear, what a rascal! Do you really think he did that?"
"Not only that, but I believe he came here yesterday morning while youwere out to get the will from the recess. The recess, by the bye, Iexpect he discovered by accident on one of his visits (he has been herepretty often, I suppose, altogether), and kept the secret in case itmight be useful. Yesterday, not finding the will there, he hypnotisedMiss Garth once again, and conveyed the suggestion that, at midnightlast night, she should take the will from wherever she had put it andpass it to him under the front door."
"What, do you mean it was he you chased across the grounds last night?"
"That is a thing I am pretty certain of. If we had Mr. Mellis's boothere we could make sure by comparing it with the piece of paper I cutout, as you will remember, in the entrance hall. As we have the will,though, that will scarcely be necessary. What he will do now, I expect,will be to go to the recess again on the vague chance of the will beingthere now, after all, assuming that his second dose of mesmerism hassomehow miscarried. If Miss Garth were here he might try his tricksagain, and that is why I got you to send her out."
"And where did you find the will?"
"Now you come to practical details. You will remember that I asked aboutthe handyman's tool-house? Well, I paid it a visit at six o'clock thismorning, and found therein some very excellent carpenter's tools in achest. I took a selection of them to the small staircase, and took outthe tread of a stair--the one that the pivoted framing-plank rested on."
"And you found the will there?"
"The will, as I rather expected when I examined the recess last night,had slipped down a rather wide crack at the end of the stair timber,which, you know, formed, so to speak, the floor of the recess. The factwas, the stair-tread didn't quite reach as far as the back of therecess. The opening wasn't very distinct to see, but I soon felt it withmy fingers. When Miss Garth, in her hypnotic condition on Saturdaynight, dropped the will into the
recess, it shot straight to the backcorner and fell down the slit. That was why Mellis found it empty, andwhy Miss Garth also found it empty on returning there last night underhypnotic influence. You observed her terrible state of nervous agitationwhen she failed to carry out the command that haunted her. It wasfrightful. Something like what happens to a suddenly awakenedsomnambulist, perhaps. Anyway, that is all over. I found the will underthe end of the stair-tread, and here it is. If you will come to thesmall staircase now you shall see where the paper slipped out of sight.Perhaps we shall meet Mr. Mellis."
"He's a scoundrel," said Mr. Crellan. "It's a pity we can't punish him."
"That's impossible, of course. Where's your proof? And if you had anyI'm not sure that a hypnotist is responsible at law for what his subjectdoes. Even if he were, moving a will from one part of the house toanother is scarcely a legal crime. The explanation I have given youaccounts entirely for the disturbed manner of Miss Garth in the presenceof Mellis. She merely felt an indefinite sense of his power over her.Indeed, there is all the possibility that, finding her an easy subject,he had already practised his influence by way of experiment. Ahypnotist, as you will see in the books, has always an easier task witha person he has hypnotised before."
As Hewitt had guessed, in the corridor they met Mr. Mellis. He was athin, dark man of about thirty-five, with large, bony features, and aslight stoop. Mr. Crellan glared at him ferociously.
"Well, sir, and what do you want?" he asked.
Mr. Mellis looked surprised. "Really, that's a very extraordinaryremark, Mr. Crellan," he said. "This is my late uncle's house. I might,with at least as much reason, ask you what you want."
"I'm here, sir, as Mr. Holford's executor."
"Appointed by will?"
"Yes."
"And is the will in existence?"
"Well--the fact is--we couldn't find it----"
"Then, what do you mean, sir, by calling yourself an executor with nowill to warrant you?" interrupted Mellis. "Get out of this house. Ifthere's no will, I administrate."
"But there _is_ a will," roared Mr. Crellan, shaking it in his face."There is a will. I didn't say we hadn't found it yet, did I? There _is_a will, and here it is in spite of all your diabolical tricks, with yourscoundrelly hypnotism and secret holes, and the rest of it! Get out ofthis place, sir, or I'll have you thrown out of the window!"
Mr. Mellis shrugged his shoulders with an appearance of perfectindifference. "If you've a will appointing you executor it's all right,I suppose, although I shall take care to hold you responsible for anyirregularities. As I don't in the least understand your conduct, unlessit is due to drink, I'll leave you." And with that he went.
Mr. Crellan boiled with indignation for a minute, and then turning toHewitt, "I say, I hope it's all right," he said, "connecting him withall this queer business?"
"We shall soon see," replied Hewitt, "if you'll come and look at thepivoted plank."
They went to the small staircase, and Hewitt once again opened therecess. Within lay a blue foolscap envelope, which Hewitt picked up."See," he said, "it is torn at the corner. He has been here and openedit. It's a fresh envelope, and I left it for him this morning, with thecorner gummed down a little so that he would have to tear it in opening.This is what was inside," Hewitt added, and laughed aloud as he drewforth a rather crumpled piece of white paper. "It was only a childishtrick after all," he concluded, "but I always liked a small practicaljoke on occasion." He held out the crumpled paper, on which wasinscribed in large capital letters the single word--"SOLD."