Part 30 (2/2)
”I should call Miss Farmond the insinuating type. A young man like yourself would probably find her very attractive--at first anyhow.”
Mr. Carrington seemed to ponder for a moment on this suggestive description of Miss Farmond's allurements. And then he asked:
”Is it the case that she is engaged to Sir Malcolm?”
”Certainly.”
”You are sure?”
Something in his voice seemed to make the lawyer reflect.
”Is it called in question?” he asked.
Carrington shook his head.
”By n.o.body who has spoken to me on the subject. But I understand that it has not yet been announced.”
”No,” said Simon. ”It was a secret engagement; and marriage would have been impossible while Sir Reginald lived.”
”So there we get the motive on her part. And you yourself, Mr. Rattar, _know_ both these young people, and you believe that this accusation against them is probably well founded?”
”I believe, Mr. Carrington, that there is no proof and probably never will be any; but all the evidence, positive and negative, together with the question of motive, points to n.o.body else. What alternative is possible?”
”That is the difficulty, so far,” agreed Carrington, but his thoughts at the moment seemed to be following his smoke rings up towards the ceiling. For a few moments he was silent, and then he asked:
”What other people benefited by the will and to what extent?”
The lawyer went to his safe, brought out the will, and read through the legacies to the servants, mentioning that the chauffeur and gardener were excluded by circ.u.mstances from suspicion.
”That leaves Mr. Bisset,” observed Carrington. ”Well, I shall be seeing him to-morrow. Any other legatees who might conceivably have committed the crime?”
Simon looked serious and spoke with a little reluctance that he seemed to make no effort to conceal.
”There is a relative of the family, a Mr. Cromarty of Stanesland, who certainly benefited considerably by the will and who certainly lives in the neighbourhood--if one once admitted the possibility of the crime being committed by some one outside the house. And I admit that it is a possibility.”
”Ah!” said Carrington. ”I heard about him last night, but so far suspicion certainly hasn't fastened on him. What sort of a fellow is he?”
”He has lived the greater part of his life in the wilder parts of America--rather what one might call a rough and ready customer.”
It was apparent that Mr. Carrington, for all his easy-going air, was extremely interested.
”This is quite interesting!” he murmured. ”To what extent did he benefit by the will?”
”1,200.”
”1,200!” Carrington repeated the words with an odd intonation and stared very hard at the lawyer. There was no doubt that his interest was highly excited now, and yet it seemed to be rather a different quality of interest this time.
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