"My late client was very eccentric," said Mr Gray. "Eccentric in life, more eccentric, perhaps, with regard to his last will and testament. Miss Lindley--you have no--no clue for instance--with regard to the heirs?" "Oh no," I answered. "How could I possibly have?" "It is my opinion," said Mr Gray, with another short, almost angry sigh, "that the heirs in question will never be found. I told my client so. I said as much repeatedly. All that fine fortune will go to endow the hospitals. Well, well, he would not listen to me." "May I have the key?" I inquired in a gentle voice. "Oh, of course, of course! But stay, you won't want it. You don't suppose a valuable house like that is left without caretakers. Two policemen take care of it, and one of them is always on the premises. I will give you my card, and whichever of them is in will show you over the place." "Oh, please, may I not go over it by myself." "Well, child, well! I don't suppose it makes much matter what you do. I'll have to write a special letter to Dawson or Drake, whichever of them happens to be in. I'll write the letter, and you shall take it, and then you can moon about the old place as much as you please. By the way, my dear Miss Rosamund, I hope you have got my client's valuable ring safe?" For answer I pulled off my shabby silk glove, and flashed the gem in the old lawyer's face. "Good gracious, you don't mean to say you wear that valuable ring every day?" "Not every day--by any means." "But it is very unsafe to wear a ring like that on your finger when you are out alone. My dear child, you have not the faintest idea what that centre ruby is worth." "I have some little idea," I said. "You had much better leave it at home. Look at it constantly of course, but leave it in a safe place at home." "Oh no, I like to wear it on my finger." "Well, well!" The lawyer sighed, then sat down and wrote his letter. CHAPTER NINE. A TELEGRAM. I took the letter in my hand, and walked to Cousin Geoffrey's house. Drake was the name of the policeman who replied to my summons. He read the contents of Mr Gray's letter with almost lightning speed, then moved aside to let me pass in. "You would rather I did not show you round, Miss Lindley?" said Drake. "Yes," I answered, "I know the old house, I have been here before; I should just like to walk quietly over it by myself." "Very well, miss; but you'll allow the wife to prepare you a cup of tea? We can get it quite handy, in the housekeeper's room next the kitchen, if so be as you object to taking it in the kitchen itself, miss." "I don't object at all," I answered. "Thank you very much, Mr Drake, I should like to have a cup of tea, and I would prefer having it in the kitchen."