"They can destroy that will whenever they like!" he said. "And once destroyed, nothing can absolutely prove that it ever existed!"
"The duplicate?" suggested Collingwood.
"Nothing to give us the faintest idea as to its existence!" said
Eldrick.
"We might advertise," said Collingwood.
"Lots of advertising was done when John Mallathorpe died," replied the solicitor. "No!—if any person had had it in possession, it would have turned up then. It may be—probably is—possibly must be—somewhere—and may yet come to light. But—there's another way of getting at Pratt. Through this Parrawhite affair. Pratt most likely had not the least notion that he would ever hear of Parrawhite again. He is going to hear of Parrawhite again! I am convinced now that Parrawhite knew something about this, and that Pratt squared him and got him away. Aren't you?" he asked, turning to Byner.
But Byner smiled quietly and shook his head.
"No!" he answered. "I am not, Mr. Eldrick."
"You're not?" exclaimed Eldrick, surprised and wondering that anybody could fail to agree with him.
"Why not, then?"
"Because," replied Byner. "I am certain that Pratt murdered Parrawhite on the night of November twenty-third last. That's why. He didn't square him. He didn't get him away. He killed him!"