"Did Mr. Thorneley mention in whose favor his previous will had been made?"
"He did not. Simply that he intended the will drawn up then to cancel all others."
"Can you remember the words in which he alluded to his wife and son?"
"Perfectly; I wrote them in the memorandum addressed to Mr. Atherton, and which Mr. Merrivale has communicated to you."
The Chief-Justice: "Read the extract, brother Donaldson."
Sergeant Donaldson read as follows: "'Five-and-twenty years ago I married one much younger than myself, an orphan living with an aunt, her only relative, and who died shortly after our marriage. My ruling passion was speculation; and I married her, not for love, but for her fortune, which was large; I coveted it for the indulgence of my passion. She was not happy with me, and I took no pains to make her happier. Few knew of our marriage. I kept her at the Grange till she died. Only I and one other person were with her at her death. She gave birth to one child, a boy. Ho grew up an idiot, and I hated him. But I wish to make reparation to my dead wife in the person of her son--not out of love to her memory, but to defeat the plans of others, and in expiation of me wrong done to her. I have never loved any one in my life but my twin-sister, Hugh Atherton's mother: and him for her sake and his own.' And then, my lord, follow the instructions for the will given to Mr. Kavanagh." To the witness: "Did Mr. Thorneley give you any clue to the 'other person' who was with him at his wife's death?"
"None at all."
"When you met the prisoner in Vere street, did he say he was going to visit his uncle then?"
"No; on the contrary, he seemed anxious to come home with me. I should imagine it was an after-thought."