ur indignation at the conduct of the Misses Penfold, hardly see that
anything can be done to discover the will. However, should you be able
to point out any manner in which a search for it can be carried on, we
shall be happy to do what we can to aid in the matter, as it is
clearly our duty to endeavor to obtain for Mabel the fortune Herbert
Penfold willed to her. Mr. Tallboys tells us that it is clear the
Misses Penfold have quite determined upon their line of conduct.
Whatever they may know they have declined altogether to aid him in
his search for the will, Miss Penfold saying, in reply to his request
that they would do so, that they had every reason to believe from what
their brother had let fall that the will was an unjust and iniquitous
one; that if Providence intended it should see the light it would see
it; but they at least would do nothing in the matter.

"He asked them plainly if they were aware of the existence of any
place in which it was likely that their brother had placed it. To this
Miss Penfold, who is, as she has always been, the spokesman of the two
sisters, said shortly, that she had never seen the will, that she
didn't want to see it, and that she did not know where her brother had
placed it; indeed, for aught she knew, he might have torn it up. As to
hiding-places, she knew of no hiding-place whose existence she could,
in accordance with the dictates of her conscience divulge. So that is
where we are at present, Mrs. Conway. I believe that Mr. Tallboys is
going to try and get a copy of the will that he has in his possession
admitted under the circumstances as proof of Herbert Penfold's
intentions. But he owned to us that he thought it was very doubtful
whether he should be able to do so, especially as Herbert had stated
to him that he intended to make alterations; and it would be quite
possible that a court might take the view that in the first place the
alterations might have been so extensive as to affect the whole
purport of the will, and in the second place that he might have come
to the conclusion that it would be easier to make the whole will
afresh, and so had destroyed the one he had by him."

Mrs. Conway laid down the letter, and after thinking for a time opened
the other, which was in a handwriting unknown to her. It began:

"DEAR MADAM.: Mrs. Withers tells me that she has informed you of
the singular disappearance of the will of my late client, Mr.
Herbert Penfold. I beg t