e said. "I am keeping you waiting."

He took a sip from the tumbler, opened a matchbox and took out a match,
but apparently altering his mind, laid it down and commenced:

"The unfortunate affair which has brought you here to-night, had its
origin ten years ago. At that time my friend Hurst became suddenly
involved in financial difficulties--am I speaking too fast for you, Mr.
Badger?"

"No, not at all," replied Badger. "I am taking it down in shorthand."

"Thank you," said Mr. Jellicoe. "He became involved in serious
difficulties and came to me for assistance. He wished to borrow five
thousand pounds to enable him to meet his engagements. I had a certain
amount of money at my disposal, but I did not consider Hurst's security
satisfactory; accordingly I felt compelled to refuse. But on the very
next day, John Bellingham called on me with the draft of his will which
he wished me to look over before it was executed.

"It was an absurd will, and I nearly told him so; but then an idea
occurred to me in connection with Hurst. It was obvious to me, as soon
as I had glanced through the will, that, if the burial clause was left
as the testator had drafted it, Hurst had a very good chance of
inheriting the property; and, as I was named as the executor, I should
be able to give full effect to that clause. Accordingly, I asked for a
few days to consider the will, and I then called upon Hurst and made a
proposal to him; which was this: That I should advance him five thousand
pounds without security; that I should ask for no repayment, but that he
should assign to me any interest that he might have or acquire in the
estate of John Bellingham up to ten thousand pounds, or two-thirds of
any sum that he might inherit if over that amount. He asked if John had
yet made any will, and I replied, quite correctly, that he had not. He
inquired if I knew what testamentary arrangements John intended to make,
and again I answered, quite correctly, that I believed that John
proposed to devise the bulk of his property to his brother, Godfrey.

"Thereupon, Hurst accepted my proposal; I made him the advance and he
executed the assignment. After a few days' delay, I passed the will as
satisfactory. The actual document was written from the draft by the
testator himself; and a fortnight after Hurst had executed the
assignment, John signed the will in my office. By the provisions of that
will I stood an excellent chance of becoming virtually the pr