The Chestermarke Instinct
t of the visitor, and her eyes glanced involuntarily and, as it seemed to Betty, with something of uneasiness, at the si
speak, "I haven't come to call on either Mr. Gabriel or Mr
oked at each other. And in the elder woman's eyes there was still the same expression
rbury?" asked Betty, who was not slow
ith a shake of the head. "Nothing a
o the door of
uncle's nearest relation. Now I want to go through his papers and things.
oor-and Mrs. Carswell su
-where all Mr. Horbury's papers are. So is his bedroom. Mr. Joseph Chestermarke locked them all up l
low, and an obstinate loo
something to say to that, Mrs. Carswell. Ask
keeper sh
he answered. "It would be as
suggested Betty. "Aren't you? Or are you em
t was very evident that sh
s is my uncle's house, and you're his ser
per. "But the house belongs to-them! Mr. Horbury-so I understand-had the
l Mr. Joseph-or Mr. Gabriel-out, I shall walk into the bank at the front door, and demand to see th
looked out, saw Betty, and came into the hall. He offered his visitor no polite greeting, and for once he forgot his accustomed sneer
abruptly. "Wha
o his rooms," said Betty. "I am his nex
oseph. "We haven't exam
ou to examine them
ht!" retor
e belongings!"
nto it," declared Joseph. "Nobody's g
g-my uncle is dead, I've the right to examine anything he's left. I insist u
't know that you're his next-of-kin. We're not-legally-aware that you're his niece.
lamed hotly and
ncle of being a thief-and you dare not make any specified accusation against him! You charge him with stealing your securities-and you daren't tell the police what securities! I don't believe you've a security missing! Nobody believes it! The police don't believe it. Lord Ellersdeane doesn't believe it. Why, your own clerk, Mr. Ne
eft slightly ajar behind him, was pushed open a
o and see a solicitor," he
y, who was still stari
"Now you'd better go away.
ms before her self-possession had come back to her. And she was aware then that a gentleman, who had jus
ou, Lord Ellersdeane?-I beg y
tched you come across from the Ban
e way upstairs and closed her door on herself and her visitor. "No n
k his head di
und Ellersdeane-practically all night. We've made inquiries at each of the neighbouring
arl of the meeting with the tinker, and of Mrs. Pratt's account of the mysterious stranger, and of what Starmidg
bank itself-from the Chest
as my uncle's nearest relation, with a simple request to see his papers and things-a very natural de
" exclaimed the Earl. "R
l-who called me a young woman-told me to go and see a solicitor, which, of course,"
ndows, and stood for a moment or two s
he Chestermarkes' part? Why didn't they tell the police what securities are missing? Why don't t
rs. Carswell says
lecting old oak, and I know where he bought most of his possessions. I can't make the behaviour of these people out at all-and I'm getting more and more uneasy about the whole thing, Miss Fosdyke-as I'm sure yo
and turned from the windo
e bank," he observed. "I think he's coming her
le was his guardian. Is he co
ied the Earl. "Perhap
with a smile, and glanced half-whimsically, half as if he had que
it, Wallie? Have these two precio
and an old jacket on the table. "That's my old working coat," he went on, with a
y from the window, and Betty i
?" she exclaim
notice," laughed Neale, slapping his
y?" ask
ok his he
"You did it! As soon as you'd gone, they had me in, told me that it was contrary to their principles to retain servants who
Neale," observed the Earl, looking keenly at
I meant to leave Chestermarke's. If it hadn't been for Mr. Horbury, I should have left ages ago. I hate banking! I hated the life. And-I d
ager in London. The brewery wants one, badly. You shall have a ha
banks. Don't you be too rash, Betty-I'm not exactly cut out for commercialism. Not," he added reflectively,
ung people with something of amused intere
ale!" h
" respond
ion about your late prin
head slowly an
know," he
ermission to examine her uncle's belongings?" continued t
ut I'm not surprised. Nothing that tho
sked the Earl. "Come!-you're no longer in their em
vity, "I think the police ought to make a thorough examination o
picked up
the morning!" he said. "Come