“But I have said it.”
“Very good, you have said it; now go on.”
This was not so easy. But the lawyer was waiting and watching me and I finally stammered forth:
“There is some small fact thus far successfully suppressed which when known will change the trend of public opinion and clarify the whole situation.”
“Exactly, and till it is, we will continue the search for the will which I honestly believe lies hidden somewhere in that mysterious house. Had he destroyed it during that interval in which he was left alone, there would have been some signs left in the ashes on the hearth; and Wealthy denies seeing anything of the sort when she stooped to replenish the fire that night, and so does Clarke, who, at Edgar’s instigation, took up the ashes after their first failure to find the will and carefully sifted them in the cellar.”
“I have been wondering if they did that.”
“Well, they did, or so I have been told. Besides, you must remember the look of consternation, if not of horror, which crossed your uncle’s face as he felt that death was upon him and he could no longer speak. If he had destroyed both wills, the one when alone, the other in the face of you all, he would have shown no such emotion. He had simply been eliminating every contestant save his daughter—something which should have given him peace.”
“You are right. And as for myself I propose to keep quiet, hoping that the mystery will soon end. Do you think that the police will allow me to leave town?”
“Where do you want to go?”
“Back to work; to my desk at Meadows & Waite in New York.”