them if there had been; but I might have got a _fact_ or two from
them.

It is well known that artifice is the resource of cunning, whether
it acts on the principle of concealing truth or boldly asserting
falsehood. Here the reverend strategist did both: he knew how a little
truth could deceive. You must remember that at this point of the case,
when the Rev. Faker was called, there was nothing to cross-examine
about. I knew nothing of the parties, the witnesses, the solicitors,
or any one except my learned friends. It would not have been
discreditable to my advocacy if I had submitted to a verdict. I will,
therefore, give the points of the questions which elicited the truth
from the Christian warrior; and probably the non-legal reader of these
memoirs may be interested in seeing what may sometimes be done by a
few judicious questions.

"Mr. Faker," I said.

"Sir," says Faker.

"You have told us you acted as the adviser of the testatrix."

"Yes, sir."

"Spiritual adviser, of course?"

A spiritual bow.

"You advised the deceased lady, probably, as to her duties as a dying
woman?"

"Certainly."

"Duty to her husband--was that one?"

A slight hesitation in Mr. Faker revealed the vast amount of fraud of
which he was capable. It was the smallest peephole, but I saw a good
way. Till then there was nothing to cross-examine about, but after
that hesitation there was L100,000 worth! He had betrayed himself. At
last Faker said,--

"Yes, Mr. Hawkins; yes, sir--her duty to her husband."

"In the way of _providing_ for him?" was my next question.

"Oh yes; quite so."

"You were careful, of course, as you told your learned counsel, to
avoid any undue influence?"

"Certainly."

"The will was not completed, I think, when you first saw the dying
woman--on the day, I mean, of her death?"

"No, not at that time."

"Was it kept in a little bag by the pillow of the testatrix? Did she
retain the keys of the bag herself?"

"That is quite right."

"Had it been executed at this time? I think you said not?"

"Not at this time; it had to be revised."

"How did you obtain possession of the keys?"

"I obtained them."

"Yes, I know; but without her knowledge?"

It was awkward for Faker, but he had to confess that he was not sure.
Then he frankly admitted that the will was taken out of the bag--in
the lady's presence, of course, but whether she was quite dead or
almost alive was uncertain; and then he and the husb