o?"

"I do," replied Thorndyke. "There was a mark on the right side of the
skull that looked rather like a fracture. It was not very clear, being
at the side, but we must develop the negative to show it."

Dr. Norbury drew his breath in sharply through his teeth. "This is a
gruesome business, Doctor," said he. "A terrible business. Awkward
for our people, too. By the way, what is our position in the matter?
What steps ought we to take?"

"You should give notice to the coroner--I will manage the police--and
you should communicate with one of the executors of the will."

"Mr. Jellicoe?"

"No, not Mr. Jellicoe, under the peculiar circumstances. You had
better write to Mr. Godfrey Bellingham."

"But I rather understood that Mr. Hurst was the co-executor," said Dr.
Norbury.

"He is, surely, as matters stand," said Jervis.

"Not at all," replied Thorndyke. "He _was_ as matters _stood_; but he
is not now. You are forgetting the condition of clause two. That
clause sets forth the conditions under which Godfrey Bellingham shall
inherit the bulk of the estate and become the co-executor and those
conditions are: 'that the body of the testator shall be deposited in
some authorized place for the reception of the bodies of the dead,
situate within the boundaries of, or appertaining to some place of
worship within, the parish of St. George, Bloomsbury, and St. Giles in
the Fields, or St. Andrew above the Bars and St. George the Martyr.'
Now Egyptian mummies are bodies of the dead, and this Museum is an
authorized place for their reception; and this building is situate
within the boundaries of the parish of St. George, Bloomsbury.
Therefore the provisions of clause two have been duly carried out and
therefore Godfrey Bellingham is the principal beneficiary under the
will, and the co-executor, in accordance with the wishes of the
testator. Is that quite clear?"

"Perfectly," said Dr. Norbury; "and a most astonishing
coincidence--but, my dear young lady, had you not better sit down? You
are looking very ill."

He glanced anxiously at Ruth, who was pale to the lips and was now
leaning heavily on my arm.

"I think, Berkeley," said Thorndyke, "you had better take Miss
Bellingham out into the gallery, where there is more air. This has
been a tremendous climax to all the trials she has borne so bravely.
Go out with Berkeley," he added gently, laying his hand on her
shoulder, "and sit down while we develop the other