Nurse Eastcote shook her head.
No, he read nothing. He was too exhausted, poor boy. I used to sit by him and try to interest him in talk.
But if you have any doubt about his mind at that timeI mean whether he was t to make a willIm sure Dr Prevost will give a certificate that he was in full possession of his faculties and knew what he was doing.
Sir Clinton came forward with the papers in his hand.
These are very important documents, he pointed out, addressing the nurse. Its not safe for you to be carrying them about in your bag as youve been doing. Leave them with us. Mr Wendover will give you a receipt and take good care of them. And to make sure theres no mistake, I think youd better write our name in the corner of each of them so as to identify them. Mr Harringay will agree with me that we mustnt leave any loophole for doubt in a case like this.
The lawyer nodded. He was a taciturn man by nature, and his pride had been slightly ruffled by the way in which he had been ignored in the conference. Nurse Eastcote, with Wendovers fountain pen, wrote her signature on a free space of each paper. Wendover offered his guests tea before they departed, but he turned the talk into general channels and avoided any further reference to business topics.
When the lawyer and the girl had left the house, Wendover turned to Sir Clinton.
It seems straight enough to me, he said, but I could see from the look you gave me behind her back when you were at the window that you arent satisfied. Whats wrong?
If you want my opinion, the Chief Constable answered, its a fake from start to finish. Certainly you cant risk handing over a penny on that evidence. If you want it proved up to the hilt, I can do it for you, but itll cost something for inquiries and expert assistance. That ought to come out of the estate, and itll be cheaper than an action at law. Besides, he added with a smile, I dont suppose you want to put that girl in gaol. Shes probably only a tool in the hands of a cleverer person.
Wendover was staggered by the Chief Constables tone of certainty. The girl, of course, had made no pretence that she was in love with Robin Ashby; but her story had been told as though she herself believed it.
Make your inquiries, certainly, he consented. Still, on the face of it the thing sounds likely enough.
Ill give you denite proof in a fortnight or so. Better make a further appointment with that girl in, say, three weeks. But dont drag the lawyer into it this time. It may savour too much of compounding a felony for his taste. Ill need these papers.
Heres the concrete evidence, said the Chief Constable, three weeks later. I may as well show it to you before she arrives, and you can amuse yourself with turning it over in the meanwhile.
He produced the will, the envelope, and two photographs from his pocket-book as he spoke and laid them on the table, opening out the will as he put it down.
Now first of all, notice that the will and envelope are of very thin paper, the foreign correspondence stuff. Second, observe that the envelope is of the exact size to hold that sheet of paper if its folded in fourI mean folded in half and then doubled over. The sheets about quarto size, ten inches by eight. Now look here. Theres an extra fold in the paper. Its been folded in four and then its been folded across once more. That struck me as soon as I had it in my hand. Why the extra fold, since it would t into the envelope without that?
Wendover inspected the sheet carefully and looked rather perplexed.
Youre quite right, he said, but you cant upset a will on the strength of a fold in it. She may have doubled it up herself, after she got it.
Not when it was in the envelope that fitted it, Sir Clinton pointed out. Theres no corresponding doubling of the envelope. However, lets go on. Heres a photograph of the envelope, taken with the light falling sideways. You see the postal erasing stamp has made an impression?
Yes, I can read it, and the dates 21st September right enough. He paused for a moment and then added in surprise, But wheres the postage stamp? It hasnt come out in the photo.
No, because thats a photo of the impression on the back half of the envelope. The stamp came down hard and not only cancelled the stamp but impressed the second side of the envelope as well. The impression comes out quite clearly when its illuminated from the side. Thats worth thinking over. And, finally, heres another print. It was made before the envelope was slit to get at the stamp impression. All we did was to put the envelope into a printing-frame with a bit of photographic printing paper behind it and expose it to light for a while. Now youll notice that the gummed portions of the envelope show up in white, like a sort of St Andrews Cross. But if you look carefully, youll see a couple of darker patches
on the part of the white strip which corresponds to the flap of the envelope that one sticks down. Just think out what they imply, Squire. There are the facts for you, and its not too difficult to put an interpretation on them if you think for a minute or two. And Ill add just one further bit of information. The two waiters who acted as witnesses to that will were given tickets for South America, and a certain sum of money each to keep them from feeling homesick But heres your visitor.