The lawyer smiled.
"Those instructions," he said, "were left with a purpose. What the purpose was, I do not know. I was your uncle's attorney, but he did not take me into his confidence on that matter. Some time before his death, however, your uncle told me that he intended to impart some information to you before he died.
He was unable to do this as he passed away the day you reached the city. He was calling for you when he died."
"So I have been told," said Duncan soberly.
"Your uncle anticipated that something might prevent him giving you his message — which proved to be the case — so he left a sealed envelope with me. It was to be delivered to you on this date."
Bruce Duncan studied the long, heavy envelope that Tremaine handed him.
The lawyer thereupon ushered him into a smaller room, to a table in the midst of book-lined walls.
"You will not be disturbed here."
Alone, the young man tore open the envelope which was of cloth texture inside. He withdrew several folded sheets of paper. The inner page carried a message in clearly legible longhand. Bruce recognized it as his uncle's writing.
As he scanned the firmly written lines, astonishment came over him. He began to understand not only why his uncle had left such unusual instructions regarding the occupancy of the house, but, also, he gained an inkling of the significance of last night's experience.