“Naturally, you would,” murmured Burchill.
“I didn’t believe he had,” continued Barthorpe. “But I examined his safe at the office, and I was going to examine that in his study at Portman Square when Tertius said in the presence of my cousin, myself, and Selwood, your successor, that there was a will, and produced one from a secret drawer in an old bureau——”
“A secret drawer in an old bureau!” murmured Burchill. “How deeply interesting for all of you!—quite dramatic. Yes?”
“Which, on being inspected,” continued Barthorpe, “proved to be a holograph——”
“Pardon,” interrupted Burchill, “a holograph? Now, I am very ignorant. What is a holograph?”
“A holograph will is a will entirely written in the handwriting of the person who makes it,” replied Barthorpe.
“I see. So this was written out by Mr. Jacob Herapath, and witnessed by—whom?” asked Burchill.
“Tertius as first witness, and you as second,” answered Barthorpe. “Now then, I’ve told you all about it. What are you going to tell me? Come—did you witness this will or not? Good gracious, man!—don’t you see what a serious thing it is?”
“How can I when I don’t know the contents of the will?” asked Burchill. “You haven’t told me that—yet.”
Barthorpe swallowed an exclamation of rage.