From the envelope he drew a heavy sheet of yellowed linen paper inscribed in an angular feminine hand in very faded black ink.
"This was written by the widow of the Elizabethan Hugh," the old solicitor continued. "Her husband, as you may remember, my lord, never returned from one of his voyages. His lady seems to have been a strong-minded person, after the fashion of her royal mistress, indeed. She was in charge of the estate for some years in the minority of her son, and she evidently used her authority."
He spread the paper before us. It was dated "Castle Chesby, ye 5th Septr., 1592," and we read the vigorous strokes with ease:
"Forasmuch as yt hath pleased God to sette mee in authoritie in this my deere late Husband's place, I have seene fitte to Take that Roote of Evill which hath beene ye bane of Oure race Fromme oute ye Chartar Cheste and putte yt where yt may Wreak noe more Of harmme and Sorrowe. I will not have my Sonne awasting of Hys substaunce and hys Life as didde Hys deere Fathour.
"JANE CHESBY.
"Postscriptum. Yette will I leave a trase for Thatte yt might seeme Unfaithfull to ye Dead didde I lose thatte whych ys a part of ye House's wealthe."
"What do you make out of that?" I asked in bewilderment.
Hugh and Mr. Bellowes laughed.
"I remember hearing of this, but I never saw it before," said Hugh. "Jane Chesby was a character, by all accounts."
"The tradition," said the solicitor, "is that the 'Roote of Evill' was the part of the Instructions containing the directions to the location of the treasure. At any rate, there is no record of its having been seen since the date of Lady Jane's minute."