The Argosy — page 193: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

Reb a ree. | Anue Hereford. 177 that your coming might have reference to something of the sort. But I found no will ; only a few pencilled words on a half-sheet of paper in her desk. Do you know where it was put ?” The lawyer turned to me. ‘“ Perhaps this little lady may know,” he said. ‘She made one in the room when I was with Mrs. Edwin Barley, and may have seen afterwards where the will was placed.” Again I felt sick with apprehension: few children at my age have ever been so shy and sensitive. It seemed to me that all was coming out ; at any rate, my share in it. But I spoke pretty bravely. ‘“You mean the paper that you left on my Aunt Selina’s bed, sire I put it in the cabinet ; she directed me to do so.” } “In the cabinet ?” repeated Mr. Edwin Barley to me. “Yes, sir. Just inside as you open it.” “Will you go with me to search for it ?” said Mr. Edwin Barley to the lawyer. “And you can go into Miss Delves’s parlour, Anne; little girls are better out of these affairs.” ‘‘Pardon me,” dissented Mr. Gregg. “ Miss Hereford, as the only interested party, had better remain. And if she can show us where the will is, 1t will save time.” Mr. Edwin Barley looked as if he meant to object, but did not. ‘‘ The child’s nerves have been unhinged,” he said to the lawyer as we went up stairs. The key of the cabinet lay in the corner of the drawer where I had placed it. Mr. Edwin Barley took it from me and opened the cabinet. But no will was to be seen. “JT did not think of looking here,” he observed; “my wife never used the cabinet, to my knowledge. There is no will here.” There was no will anywhere, apparently. Drawers were opened ; her desk, standing now on the drawers, was searched ; alt without effect. “Tt is very extraordinary,” said Mr. Gregg. “Ycan only come to one conclusion—that my wife must have destroyed it herself. It is true, the keys were lying about for several hours subsequent to her death, at anybody’s command ; but who would steal a will?” ‘‘I do not suppose Mrs. Edwin Barley would destroy it,” dissented Mr. Gregg. ‘“ Nothing can be more improbable. She expressed her happiness at having been able to make a will; her great satisfaction. Who left the keys about, sir ?” “The blame of that lies with Charlotte Delves. It escaped her memory to secure them, she tells me: and in the confusion of the sudden blow, it is not to be wondered at. But and if the keys were left about? I have honest people in my house, Mr. Gregg.” “Who benefited by the will?” asked Mr. Barley of the Oaks, he having intruded on the search, and was looking on with a face of puzzled concern. ‘‘ Who comes into the money, Gregg ?” Pp ECOMiIcoOolkxSs.cO©