"He may not," assented Rupert dubiously; "on the other hand he may. Leigh certainly gave me to understand that everything had been left to Eunice, who afterward married Filbert. If such is the case, you may be sure that Mallien will take everything, and will decline to give me a penny." "Just like him. But the Statute of Limitations----" "I shall not take advantage of that," interrupted Hendle firmly. "If the will does make Mallien the heir by descent, he shall have the property." "But, my dear man," cried the barrister, starting to his feet, "that is quixotic. Why leave yourself without a penny, especially when Mallien is such an unamiable person?" "It's hard, I grant," replied Rupert ruefully; "yet, as an honest man, what else can I do?" "It seems to me that there is a limit to honesty," said Carrington tartly. "I scarcely think that I could act so quixotically if I had to do with the matter. However, we can discuss this point when the will is in your possession, and we can make sure that what Leigh says is true. When do you hope to get it?" "Well, I don't know. Leigh said that he had mislaid it and would search for it, so I have called this morning on the chance that he might have found it. He was absent attending to a dying woman, and of course I couldn't interrupt him at his business. I left a message that I would call again when I returned this evening." "When do you return?" "By the seven o'clock train. I shall arrive in time for dinner. I told Mrs. Beatson that I would dine at eight." "If Leigh finds the will, I presume he will bring it to you this evening at The Big House?" "He might and he might not. And in any case I shall call." Carrington considered the remark for a few moments and stared out of the window at the chimney pots. "I don't think that I would call if I were you, Hendle," he said at length. "Why not?" "Because this case needs a more careful handling than you are able to give it, my friend. Leave Leigh alone until to-morrow, and I'll come down some time about midday to interview the vicar along with you." "It's very good of you, Carrington," said the perplexed Squire gratefully. "I don't expect one night will make any difference, as I shall be certain of the bad news soon enough. I'll wait until you can go with me to-morrow to the Vicarage; perhaps, by then, Leigh will have found the will." "I don't leave the Vicarage until he has found it," said Carrington grimly. "It's too important a document to be left in the hands of a shiftless creature such as Leigh. He is quite capable of taking it to Mallien, if it is in favor of Mallien's grandmother, as he asserts." Hendle, standing up to go away, shook his head. "I don't think he will go past me," he remarked slowly. "In the first place, he dislikes Mallien because of Mallien's brusque manners, and in the second Mallien refused, out of his present income, to help him to fit out an expedition to Yucatan."