"And it is gone now?"

"It is," replied the Englishman.

"And now, Mr. Gosford," said my father, "how do you know this will is
gone unless you also know precisely where it was?"

"I do know precisely where it was, sir," returned the man. "It was
in the row of drawers on the right of the window where you stand--the
second drawer from the top. Mr. Marshall put it there when he wrote it,
and he told me on his deathbed that it remained there. You can see, sir,
that the drawer has been rifled."

My father looked casually at the row of mahogany drawers rising along
the end of the bookcase. The second one and the one above were open; the
others below were closed.

"Mr. Gosford," he said, "you would have some interest in this will, to
know about it so precisely."

"And so I have," replied the man, "it left me a sum of money."

"A large sum?"

"A very large sum, sir."

"Mr. Anthony Gosford," said my father, "for what purpose did Peyton
Marshall bequeath you a large sum of money? You are no kin; nor was he
in your debt."

The Englishman sat down and put his fingers together with a judicial
air.

"Sir," he began, "I am not advised that the purpose of a bequest is
relevant, when the bequest is direct and unencumbered by the testator
with any indicatory words of trust or uses. This will bequeathes me a
sum of money. I am not required by any provision of the law to show the
reasons moving the testator. Doubtless, Mr. Peyton Marshall had reasons
which he deemed excellent for this course, but they are, sir, entombed
in the grave with him."

My father looked steadily at the man, but he did not seem to consider
his explanation, nor to go any further on that line.

"Is there another who would know about this will?" he said.

"This effeminate son would know," replied Gosford, a sneer in the
epithet, "but no other. Marshall wrote the testament in his own hand,
without witnesses, as he had the legal right to do under the laws of
Virginia. The lawyer," he added, "Mr. Lewis, will confirm me in the
legality of that."

"It is the law," said Lewis. "One may draw up a holograph will if he
likes, in his own hand, and it is valid without a witness in this State,
although the law does not so run in every commonwealth."

"And now, sir," continued the Englishman, turning to my father, "we will
inquire into the theft of this testament."

But my father did not appear to notice Mr. Gosford. He seemed perplexed
and in some concer