Penfold called upon him and took away his will, saying that he
wanted to look over it, as he had two or three slight alterations
that he wanted to make, and he would bring it back in the course
of a day or two and get him to make the changes required. From
that time Mr. Penfold had not been in Weymouth, and, indeed, had
scarcely left the house except to come down here; for, as he said
to my husband, he did not feel quite himself, and supposed it was
a reaction after his late dissipations.
"Mr. Tallboys, who is one of the executors named in the will, had
searched for it in the afternoon among Mr. Penfold's papers; but
found that it and several other documents--leases and so on--of
importance were all missing. He had asked Miss Penfold if she knew
where her brother was in the habit of keeping important papers;
but she replied shortly that she knew nothing whatever of her
brother's business matters. He had, therefore, driven over to ask
my husband, knowing how intimate he had been with poor Herbert. He
knew, it seems, that Mr. Penfold had some secure place for such
papers, because he had one day spoken to him upon the subject,
saying it would be more prudent for him to leave the leases in the
strong-box in his office at Weymouth.
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