"Well?" "To begin with, nothing was stolen from the house. Therefore no outside thief or burglar gained anything. I may add also that the police have made enquiries throughout the whole county, and no bad characters are known to be in the place. Therefore there is no ground for supposing the deed was the work of a robber, and to my mind, no evidence worth considering to support that view. The only people that gained anything, Mr. Cromarty, are those who will benefit under Sir Reginald's will." Cromarty's expression did not change again. This was evidently the new point of view. Simon opened a drawer and took from it a document. "In the ordinary course of events Sir Reginald's will would not be known till after his funeral to-morrow, but if I may regard this conversation as confidential, I can tell you the principal facts so far as they affect this case." "I don't want you to do anything you shouldn't," said Ned quickly. "If it's not the proper game to read the will now, don't." But Silent Simon seemed determined to oblige this morning. "It is a mere matter of form delaying till to-morrow, and I shall not read it now; merely tell you the pertinent facts briefly." "Fire away then. The Lord knows I want to learn every derned pertinent fact--want to badly!" "In the first place," the lawyer began, "Lady Cromarty is life rented in the mansion and property, less certain sums to be paid to other people, which I am coming to. She therefore lost her husband and a certain amount of income, and gained nothing that we know of." "That's a cold-blooded way of putting it," said Ned with something like a shiver. "However, what next?" "Sir Malcolm gets L1,000 a year to support him during the life time of Lady Cromarty, and afterwards falls heir to the whole estate. He therefore gains a baronetcy and L1,000 a year immediately, and the estate is brought a stage nearer him. Miss Farmond gets a legacy of L2,000. She therefore gained L2,000." "Not that she'll need it," said Ned quickly. "That item doesn't count." Simon looked at him curiously. "Why not?" he enquired. Ned hesitated a moment. "Perhaps I oughtn't to have said anything," he said, "but this conversation is confidential, and anyhow the fact will be known soon enough now, I guess. She is engaged to Sir Malcolm." For a moment Simon continued to look at him very hard. Then he merely said: "Indeed?" "Of course you won't repeat this till they care to make it known themselves. I told you so that you'd see a legacy of two thousand pounds wouldn't count much. It only means an income of--what?" "One hundred pounds at five per cent; eighty pounds at four." "Well, that will be neither here nor there now." Again Simon stared in silence for a moment, but rather through than at his visitor, it seemed. Then he glanced down at the document again.