"My dear Tertius!" he said. "Oblige me by narrating, carefully, briefly, your recollection of the circumstances under which your signature to this highly important document was obtained and made." "Easily done," responded Mr. Tertius. "One night, some months ago, when our poor friend was at work here with his secretary, a Mr. Frank Burchill, he called me into the room, just as Burchill was about to leave. He said: 'I want you two to witness my signature to a paper.' He----" "A moment," interrupted Mr. Halfpenny. "He said--'a paper.' Did he not say 'my will'?" "Not before the two of us. He merely said a paper. He produced the paper--that paper, which you now hold. He let us see that it was covered with writing, but we did not see what the writing was. He folded it over, laid it, so folded, on that desk, and signed his name. Then we both signed it in the blank spaces which he indicated: I first, then Burchill. He then put it into an envelope--that envelope--and fastened it up. As regards that part of the proceedings," said Mr. Tertius, "that is all." "There was, then, another part?" suggested Mr. Halfpenny. "Yes," replied Mr. Tertius. "There was. Burchill then left--at once. I, too, was leaving the room when Jacob called me back. When we were alone, he said: 'That was my will that you've just witnessed. Never mind what's in it--I may alter it, or some of it, some day, but I don't think I shall. Now look here, I'm going to seal this envelope, and I'll show you where I put it when it's sealed.' He then sealed the envelope in two places, as you see, and afterwards, in my presence, placed it in a secret drawer, which I'll show to you now. And that done, he said: 'There, Tertius, you needn't mention that to anybody, unless I happen to be taken off suddenly.' And," concluded Mr. Tertius, as he motioned Mr. Halfpenny to accompany him to the old bureau, "I never, of course, did mention it until half an hour ago." Mr. Halfpenny solemnly inspected the secret drawer, made no remark upon it, and reseated himself. "Now," he said, "this Mr. Frank Burchill--the other witness? He left our old friend?" "Some little time ago," replied Mr. Tertius. "Still, we have his address on the will," said Mr. Halfpenny. "I shall call on Mr. Burchill at once--as soon as I leave here. There is, of course, no doubt as to the validity of this will. You said just now that Barthorpe left you as soon as he had seen it. Now, what did Barthorpe say about it?" "Nothing!" answered Mr. Tertius. "He went away without a word--rushed away, in fact." Mr. Halfpenny shook his head with profound solemnity.