Eric looked upon it as furnishing quite a link in the chain of evidence—he believed the secret referred to must indeed mean that which they were looking up.
When Joe heard the opinion of his friend, he was not much encouraged—indeed, his spirits were reduced to a lower ebb; but he shut his teeth and said nothing.
“Now I want your opinion, Joe, as a man of some legal acumen. It is a little question I desire to have settled,” he said.
With that he took out the document he had received from Lillian.
“You recognize the handwriting?”
“I do—it is my wife’s,” with a shiver.
“I had another paper, but gave it up to the owner; but, as it fortunately turned out, ere doing so I traced the signature with a piece of tracing paper—see, here it is.”
He put the two together.
“Bend over, Joe.”
“What do you want me to decide?” nervously, as might a man who feared lest his words might convict one he loved.