"It wasn't the time to ask for an explanation," continued the doctor. "You remember, Betty, that Eunice took you in her arms, and told you very gently what had happened. She tried to persuade you not to go in the room, but you refused to be put off. Effingham came and unlocked the door; you and I went in and looked at him still lying by the side of the big desk. It was then that I saw the despatch-box, and wondered why I had not noticed it before, especially as it was just the link that I needed to fit into the accident hypothesis." "I don't think I have any theory," answered Doctor Marcy. "Up to this moment my mind had been more concerned with the stark fact of Graeme's death than with the predisposing cause. Of course I had taken the temple bruise into account, and in a superficial way it seemed to explain everything. But I really hadn't tried to formulate my ideas clearly. The thought of you, Betty, had presented itself, and I was chiefly engaged in wondering how you were to be told and how you would take the shock." "But afterwards?" persisted Betty. "Then I tried to build up the accident theory. Everything fitted beautifully except for the little uncertainty about the despatch-box." "May I ask a question or two," I interrupted. "Surely." "You say that you left Effingham to guard the library door while you went to meet my Cousin Betty?" "Yes." "How long were you away?" "Approximately five minutes." "And when you again came to the library door Miss Trevor was standing there and Effingham was gone?" "Yes." "Then it is possible that Miss Trevor may have entered the room--let us say--for the purpose of replacing the despatch-box in its original position?" "Possible--yes." "Which implies that she must have paid a previous visit to the room and carried the box away?" "If you like." "We assume that the despatch-box held important papers belonging to Mr. Graeme----" "Including his will," interjected Miss Graeme. "But I thought that Mr. Eldon----" I began in surprise. "I was referring to an earlier will," returned my Cousin Betty. "But I forget that you don't know about that. It reads exactly like the present one except that John Thaneford is named as the residual heir." "Did anyone, besides Mr. Eldon, know that a later will--the one in my favor--had been made?" "Yes. Father told Eunice and me that he had decided to make the change. He had met you in Philadelphia and liked you. He made inquiries about you and what he heard increased that liking. He had never cared over-much for John, and had considered him only as representing the Hildebrand family, the heirs of the blood. He was delighted to discover that your relationship was quite as close as that of John Thaneford; moreover, you possessed the advantage of bearing the actual name." "Did Eunice offer any objection to the change?" asked Doctor Marcy.