The Herapath Property

jamin h

ust quitted. From it at once descended an elderly gentleman, short, stout, and rosy, who bustled up the steps of the Herapath mansion and appeared to fume and fret until his summons was responded to. When the door was opened to him he bustled inside at the same rate, rapped out the inquiry, "Miss Wynne at home?-Miss Wynne at home?" several ti

Peggie, almost joyfully.

arked Mr. Tertius. "In fact-yes, Mr. Selwood and I were think

held her away from him, looked at her, kissed her again, and then patted her on the shoulder. This done, he shook hands solemnly with Mr. Tertius, bowed to Selwood, took off his spectacles and proceeded to polish them with a highly-colo

at the office, to which I happened by mere chance, to have come up for the day. I immediately ordered out our brougham and drove here-to see if I could be of any use

us looked

. "The truth is, Halfpenny, we were talking of seeing you professionally when you came in.

ll-our poor friend's will-has been found! But

ertius look

nly male relative, began to search for a will. He resented any interference from me and was very rude to me, but when he came here and proposed to examine that safe, I told him at once that I knew of a will and where i

nny. "I judge from that, then-but y

solemnly half-chanted every word from start to finish. This performance over, he carefully and punctiliously folded the document into it

riefly, your recollection of the circumstances under which your s

t work here with his secretary, a Mr. Frank Burchill, he called me into the room, just as Bur

Halfpenny. "He said-'a paper

ot see what the writing was. He folded it over, laid it, so folded, on that desk, and signed his name. Then we both signed it in the blank spaces which he indicated:

nother part?" sugge

don't think I shall. Now look here, I'm going to seal this envelope, and I'll show you where I put it when it's sealed.' He then sealed the envelope in two places, as you see, and afterwards, in my presence, placed it in a secret drawer, which I'll show to you now. And

the secret drawer, made no rema

ank Burchill-the other witne

ime ago," repl

e-as soon as I leave here. There is, of course, no doubt as to the validity of this will. You said

ius. "He went away without a

ok his head with

ll. Nothing whatever to Barthorpe-his only male relative-his only brother's only son. Extraordinary! My dear," he continued, turning to Peggie, "can yo

troubled about it. Does it really mean tha

man indeed. However, he doubtless had his reasons. And now, as I conclude you desire me to act for you, I shall take charge of this will and lock it up in my safe as soon as I return to the office. On my way, I sh

culating on the meaning of the morning's st

enjamin Halfpenny is in town, has been acquainted with these matters by Mr. Tertius and Miss Wynne, and would esteem it a favo

d in session time she had never seen him again that day. But he had a trick of running in for a few minutes at intervals during the day; he would come for a cup of tea; sometimes he would contrive to dine at home; whether he was at home or not, his presence, always alert, masterful, active, seemed to be everywhere in the place. She could scarcely realize that she would never see him again. And as she stood looking at his vacant chair she made an effort to realize what it all really meant to her, and suddenly, for the first time in her life, she felt the meaning o

No one of my own flesh and blood, anyway. Of course, there's Mr. Tertius. But-I must see Barthorpe. I must tell him that I shall

r own taste. There, while the November afternoon deepened in shadow, she sat and thought still more deeply. And she was still plunged in thought when Kitteridge came

ll?" she sa

pectful sympathy, and to say that if he could be of any service to you or to the

n thinking of him only a few minutes before the butler's entrance; thinking a good deal. And her thoughts had been disquieted and unhappy. Burchill was the last man in th

of C