Allery, however, volunteered one bit of information.
“Sir James made a curious will. It will be proved soon, and so there is no particular secret. If his son was found, and was willing to settle down in Devonshire, he was to have a half share after certain small legacies had been paid. If not, the whole was to go to Mabel. She gets half in any case. It was left to me to decide whether he was fulfilling the conditions. That’ll be a nice task.”
“Supposing we can’t find him.”
“Then Mabel takes her half and the interest on the other, which remains in trust, until it is decided that he is dead. The discretion rests with me.”
“A very reasonable arrangement,” said Collins.
Chapter IX.
A Confession
Sinclair and Boyce were sitting in the former’s room, waiting for Collins.
“I wonder how he will like this?” said Boyce.
“Not at all,” said the other, making a face. “He is so fond of a problem that he dislikes a simple solution to anything.”
He shuffled uncomfortably. He did not altogether like it, himself. Collins entered and greeted the others.