Dr. Duchesne smiled. “And Waters is really clear?”
“Yes,” said Mr. Gray.
“And M’liss assisted him to escape?”
“Yes.”
“Well, you are an innocent one! And you see nothing in this but an act of thoughtless generosity? No assisting of an old accomplice to escape?”
“I see nothing but truth in her statement,” returned Mr. Gray stoutly. “If there has been any wrong committed, I believe her to be innocent of its knowledge.”
“Well, I’m glad at least the money goes to her and not to him. But how are you to establish her right to this property?”
“That was my object in conferring with you. At present the claim is abandoned. I have taken up the ground in my own name (for her), and this afternoon I posted up the usual notice.”
“Go on. You are not so much of a fool, after all.”
“Thank you! This will hold until a better claim is established. Now, if Smith had discovered this lead, and was, as the lawyers say, ‘seized and possessed’ of it at the time of his death, M’liss, of course, as next of kin, inherits it.”