e had never
heard of Mrs. Otway and her daughter. Yet, if Major Guthrie outlived his
mother, as it was of course reasonable, even under the circumstances, to
suppose that he would do, a considerable sum of money was to pass under
his will to Mrs. Otway, and, failing her, to her only child, Rose Otway.

Strange confidences are very often made to lawyers, quite as often as to
doctors. But Major Guthrie, when he came to sign his will, the will for
which he had sent such precise and detailed instructions a few days
before, made no confidences at all.

Even so, the solicitor, putting two and two together, had very little
doubt as to the relations of his client and of the lady whom he had made
his residuary legatee. He felt sure that there was an understanding
between them that either after the war, or after Mrs. Guthrie's
death--he could not of course tell which--they intended to make one of
those middle-aged marriages which often, strange to say, turn out more
happily than earlier marriages are sometimes apt to do.

The lawyer naturally kept his views to himself during the afternoon he
spent at Dorycote House, and he simply treated Mrs. Otway as though she
had been a near relation of the deceased lady. What, however, increased
his belief that his original theory was correct, was the fact that there
was no mention of Mrs. Otway's name in Mrs. Guthrie's will. The old
lady, like so many women, had preferred to keep her will in her own
possession. It had been made many years before, and in it she had left
everything to her son, with the exception of a few trinkets which were
to be distributed among certain old friends and acquaintances, fully
half of whom, it was found on reference to Ponting, had predeceased the
testator.

As the hours went on, Mr. Allen could not help wondering if Mrs. Otway
was aware of the contents of Major Guthrie's will. He watched her with
considerable curiosity. She was certainly attractive, and yes, quite
intelligent; but she hardly spoke at all, and there was a kind of
numbness in her manner which he found rather trying. She did not once
mention Major Guthrie of her own accord. She always left such mention
to him. He told himself that doubtless it was this quietude of manner
which had attracted his reserved client.

"I suppose," he said at last, "that we must presume that Major Guthrie
is alive till we have an official statement to the contrary?" And then
he was startled to see the vivid expressi