pent no time in trying to find the spring.
There was danger now as always of Miss Penfold's coming, and as she
would soon have the means of entering the room at her will she would
run no risk. A few days later she asked for a day to go to Weymouth to
purchase some things of which she had need, and when there she called
upon Mr. Tallboys.

"How are you, Mrs. Conway?" the lawyer said when the door had closed
behind her. "Have you come to tell me that you give up the search as
hopeless?"

"Not at all," she replied with decision. "I told you in my letter that
I had discovered the probable position of the hiding-place, and told
you of the difficulties there were in making a thorough search for it
owing to the room being always kept locked. I have come now to ask you
to get a key made from this," and she produced the wax. "It would be
suspicious if I were to go to a locksmith here and ask for such a
thing; he would think at once that I was a servant who wanted to rob
my mistress. But of course it will be different with you. Beside, I
thought that if you did not like to get it done here, you might send
the wax up to London and get the key made there."

"This is becoming more and more serious, Mrs. Conway," Mr. Tallboys
said gravely. "Nothing very terrible could happen to you beyond being
turned out of the house even were it discovered who you really are;
but if you were found at night, and I suppose your intention is to
work at night, in the library, with a false key in your possession,
you might be arrested for an attempt at theft, and could only clear
yourself by explaining before the magistrates who you were, and with
what motive you were acting, which would give rise to much unpleasant
talk, would render any pursuance of your plan impossible, and might
not improbably induce these women to destroy the will, if they have
not already done so."

"I am quite convinced they have not done that, Mr. Tallboys. The
anxiety they have about any one entering the room, and the manner in
which Miss Penfold pops in occasionally to see what I am doing, is
quite proof in my mind that the will is still in existence; for if
they had destroyed it, they would have no further anxiety on the
subject. No, I have thought it all over, and must run the risk. There
is no other way of making a complete search; and in one night there by
myself I could do far more than in a twelvemonths' visits as at
present. There are two or three more things I wis