“Indeed!”

“Yes.  As I have said, no alteration in the testator’s circumstances had taken place at the time the new will was executed. But only two days before his death, his sister, Mrs. Edmund Wilson, died; and on her will being proved it appeared that she had bequeathed to him her entire personalty, estimated at about thirty thousand pounds.”

“Heigho!” exclaimed Thorndyke.  “What an unfortunate affair!”

“You are right,” said Mr. Marchmont; “it was a disaster.  By the original will this great sum would have accrued to our friend Mr. Stephen, whereas now, of course, it goes to the residuary legatee, Mr. John Blackmore.  And what makes it even more exasperating is the fact that this is obviously not in accordance with the wishes and intentions of Mr. Jeffrey, who clearly desired his nephew to inherit his property.”

“Yes,” said Thorndyke; “I think you are justified in assuming that.  But do you know whether Mr. Jeffrey was aware of his sister’s intentions?”

“We think not.  Her will was executed as recently as the third of September last, and it seems that there had been no communication between her and Mr. Jeffrey since that date.  Besides, if you consider Mr. Jeffrey’s actions, you will see that they suggest no knowledge or expectation of this very important bequest.  A man does not make elaborate dispositions in regard to three thousand pounds and then leave a sum of thirty thousand to be disposed of casually as the residue of the estate.”

“No,” Thorndyke agreed.  “And, as you have said, the manifest intention of the testator was to leave the bulk of his property to Mr. Stephen.  So we may take it as virtually certain that Mr. Jeffrey had no knowledge of the fact that he was a beneficiary under his sister’s will.”

“Yes,” said Mr. Marchmont, “I think we may take that as nearly certain.”

“With reference to the second will,” said Thorndyke, “I suppose there is no need to ask whether the document itself has been examined; I mean as to its being a genuine document and perfectly regular?”

Mr. Marchmont shook his head sadly.

“No,” he said, “I am sorry to say that there can be no possible doubt as to the authenticity and regularity of the document.  The circumstances under which it was executed establish its genuineness beyond any question.”

“What were those circumstances?” Thorndyke asked.

“They were these:  On the morning of the twelfth of November last, Mr. Jeffrey came to the porter’s lodge with a document in his hand.  ‘This,’ he said, ’is my will.  I want you to witness my signature.  Would you mind doing so, and can you find another respectable person to act as the second witness?’ Now it happened that a nephew of the porter’s, a painter by trade, was at work in the Inn.  The porter went out and fetched him into the lodge and the two men agreed to witness the signature.  ‘You had better read the will,’ said Mr. Jeffrey.  ’It is not actually necessary, but it is an additional safeguard and there is nothing of a private nature in the document.’  The two men accordingly read the document, and, when Mr. Jeffrey had signed it in their presence, they affixed their signatures; and I may add that the painter left the recognizable impressions of three greasy fingers.”