"I haven't any idea," was the reply. "I am afraid it's very likely that he's dead. He was partly paralyzed when he left the Professor's service, and I don't imagine he would have lasted for more than a few months."
The Inspector walked to the window and for a moment or two stared thoughtfully out into the garden.
"What about the estate?" he asked, turning round suddenly. "Who comes into the property?"
Mr. Medwin shrugged his shoulders. "There again I am completely at sea. I presume that it passes to the next of kin, but who that fortunate person may be I haven't the remotest notion."
"Hasn't Mr. Carter made a will?"
"Not that I'm aware of. I suggested to him several times that he ought to take some steps in the matter, but he always made the excuse that he was too busy to be bothered about it at the moment. As so often happens in these cases, the opportunity has now gone by for ever."
"Then if no one comes forward the money passes to the Crown?"
"That is so; but it's not a situation which is likely to occur. In view of the large fortune at stake some claimant is certain to put in an appearance."
The Inspector raised his eyebrows. "A large fortune, eh?" he repeated. "Can you give us any idea of what it amounts to?"
Mr. Medwin reflected. "The Professor has been saving money for years," he said slowly. "He drew a big income from his various patents, and his personal expenditure was comparatively trifling. Some of his experiments were naturally rather costly, but, all the same, there can be no doubt that he was an extremely wealthy man. As a rough estimate I should say that he was worth at least a couple of hundred thousand pounds."