"What on earth are you talking about?" questioned Hendle, much vexed at all this unnecessary mystery. "Sit down and drink your coffee and tell me all about it. You don't smoke, I know, but I shall." "Certainly, certainly," murmured Leigh vaguely, "of course, your marriage with your cousin will bring together the two branches of the family. That, in the long run, will put things right." "Put what things right?" "Money matters." Hendle echoed the word and stared. "I wish you would talk plainly," he said, with some irritation. "Oh, certainly. I am rather apt to wander in worldly matters." Leigh cleared his throat and sat up briskly with all his wits about him for once in his dreamy life. "Mallien is descended from Walter Hendle, and you from Frederick Hendle, their father John being your common ancestor." "Yes, that is so. But Mallien descends through the female line, although he is the elder branch of the family." "There is no entail?" "No. If there was, it would be in my favor, as I descend through the male heirs. But what does all this mean?" "I shall tell you if you will allow me to collect my thoughts. While searching in the Muniment Room, Rupert, I came across letters of John Hendle, which show that he loved his elder son Walter and greatly disliked his younger son Frederick. Walter was a brave man, who fought for his country and who died at Waterloo. Frederick, as the letters say, was a scamp--what in those days was known as a blood. Reckless, extravagant and evil, he alienated his father's affections, and John Hendle desired to disinherit him." "It is the first time I have heard of Frederick's iniquity," said Rupert with a shrug, "and I see little use in raking up the evil done by a man who lived about one hundred years ago." Leigh took no notice of this observation. "John desired that his granddaughter Eunice, the child of his favorite son Walter, should inherit. As the property was entirely at his own disposal, he made a will in her favor." Rupert jumped up so suddenly that he upset his coffee. "What?" "Pray don't act in so excitable a manner, Rupert," protested the vicar, raising his thin hand. "You irritate my nerves." "But--but--what you say--oh, it's absurd," stammered the Squire. "There was never any question about Frederick's inheriting the property. I don't know much about the matter, as the thing didn't interest me. But, if Frederick inherited wrongly, surely the question would have been raised before." "How could it be when the will in favor of Eunice was missing?" "Missing?" "Yes. John made the will and apparently died suddenly before he could make it public. I found it," said Mr. Leigh slowly, "in the chest." "In the Muniment Room?" "Yes. It is a will drawn up quite legally on parchment as was the case in those days, although I don't think wills are drawn up now on----"