“When he died a will was found, and in it he left all his estate to his nephew.
“Simeon Rich, another nephew, and his sister contested the will. They claimed that it was a forgery and that Alfred Lawrence had forged his uncle’s signature.
“The case came up before the surrogate and the fight was a bitter one on both sides.
“Lawrence’s wife, with whom he had lived unhappily, went before the referee and swore that she had seen her husband forge the will. Her testimony was corroborated by Blanchard, the chief witness, who was Lawrence’s butler.
“It was hinted at, at the time, that Mrs. Lawrence and Simeon Rich were very intimate.
“The will was broken. Lawrence was arrested, tried, convicted, and sent to State’s prison.
“Then people forgot all about him.”
“What became of Mrs. Lawrence?” asked Carter.
“She lived for a time in the Beach Street house. A year after her husband’s conviction the house was closed up and Mrs. Lawrence and her child disappeared. The house has remained closed ever since.”
“Then there was a child?”