hen
added, with an oath, "Fool that I was not to have known it sooner!
That woman lied!"

CHAPTER XX

OPENING FIRE

The first witness called to the stand by Mr. Sutherland was James
Wilson. There were many present who noted the resemblance between
him and his son, John Wilson, who had given testimony at the
inquest, though unaware of the relationship between them.

"Mr. Wilson," said the attorney, after the usual preliminaries, "I
understand you were for a number of years in the employ of Ralph
Maxwell Mainwaring, the testator whose name is affixed to this will;
is that so?"

"Yes, sir," was the reply, while the attention of the crowd was at
once riveted upon the witness.

"Will you state how long you were in his employ, and in what
capacity?"

"I was his valet, sir, from his twenty-fifth year until the day of
his death, a little above thirty-five years, sir; and during his
last illness, of about three months, I was with him constantly,
you might say, sir."

"Do you recognize the document just read in your hearing as anything
which you have heard before?"

"That I do, sir."

"State when and under what circumstances you have previously heard
it."

"At the death-bed of Mr. Ralph Mainwaring, sir, twenty-five years
ago the seventeenth of last November. I was present at the making
of that will, sir, the night before Mr. Mainwaring died. I heard
him give those words to the lawyer, and then heard them read to
him before the will was signed."

"By whom was it drawn?"

"By Richard Hobson, sir; the man sitting there," pointing to the
shrinking figure of Hobson.

"Do you positively identify that man as the writer of this will?"

"That I do, sir," with marked emphasis; "when one once sets eyes
on the likes o' him, he's not likely to forget him soon."

"Was Richard Hobson the attorney of Mr. Mainwaring?"

"Ah, no, sir," with evident scorn; "his attorney was Mr. Alfred
Barton, the father, sir, of this gentleman," indicating the English
barrister, while the interest of the crowd deepened.

"How, then, was this man employed to draw the will?"

"Mr. Barton was out of town, sir; and as Mr. Mainwaring was dying
and naught would satisfy him but to have a lawyer, they brought Mr.
Barton's clerk."

"State the circumstances under which this will was drawn; was Mr.
Mainwaring influenced by any one to make it?"

"He was influenced by none but his own conscience, sir. You see,
sir, three or four years