"In a manner of speaking, sir, yes. But if it comes to taking my oath I feel myself bound to state that neither Ford nor myself was present when the late Mr. Herriard signed his will."
"But, Sturry, that's absurd!" Joseph cried, very much flustered. "You may not have been actually in the room, but you know very well that I brought the document straight out to you, in the upper hall, and you both knew what it was, and signed it! I mean, it's the silliest quibble to say Mr. Herriard didn't sign it in your presence! You know how ill he was, and how much he disliked having a lot of people in his room! I told you exactly what you were doing, and you must have known perfectly well that Mr. Herriard had signed it, for there was his signature for you to see!"
"I am not aware, sir, that I should be obliged to Go on Oath about it," replied Sturry inexorably. "I regret to appear Disobliging, sir, but I trust you will Appreciate My Position."
He then bowed again, and left the room, softly closing the door behind him.
"That," said Stephen, "has properly torn it!"
"You fool, Joe!" Mathilda exclaimed, jumping up from her chair. "Don't you know how important it is that the witnesses should actually see the signing of a will?"
"But Tilda - but Stephen - !" stammered Joseph. "I never thought - it was difficult enough to get Nat to draw the will up at all! If I'd tried to make him agree to having Ford and Sturry in to watch him doing it - well, you know what Nat was! Of course I know that technically one ought to see the actual signing, but in this case - I mean, no one is going to contest the will! I'm sure it will be all right. I shall simply have to explain the circumstances, and -"
"You'll be clever if you can explain how Ford and Sturry saw through a wall," interrupted Stephen.
"Do you really mean that the will is no good, just because the witnesses didn't watch Uncle signing it?" Paula asked incredulously.
"Yes, my sweet, that is just what I mean," Stephen replied. "In plain words, your Uncle Joseph has mucked it."