The story was logical enough, and both Mr. Watson
and John Merrick believed it.
"Tom Bradley was a level-headed fellow until he fell in love with your
sister," said the lawyer to his companion. "But after that he would
not listen to reason, and perhaps he had a premonition of his own
sudden death, for he made a will bequeathing all he possessed to his
sweetheart. I drew up the will myself, and argued against the folly of
it; but he had his own way. Afterward, in the face of death, I believe
he became more sensible, and altered his will."
"Yet James' story may all be the effect of a disordered mind," said
Uncle John.
"I do not think, so; but unless he has destroyed the paper in his
madness, we shall he able to find it among his possessions."
With this idea in mind, Mr. Watson ordered the servants to remove the
gardener's body to a room in the carriage-house, and as soon as this
was done he set to work to search for the paper, assisted by John
Merrick.
"It was a telegraph blank, he said."
"Yes."
"Then we cannot mistake it, if we find any papers at all," declared
the lawyer.
The most likely places in James' room for anything to be hidden were a
small closet, in which were shelves loaded with odds and ends, and an
old clothes-chest that was concealed underneath the bed.
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