The Monmouth inquirer., 1923-04-05

deeds r said old Prick, pressing forward
and putting his big fist through the hole
in the box. mo; here are both the
envelopes, at any rateF
He managed, though perhaps with
some difficulty, in dragging gu two en-
velopes-one was very thick, the other
somewhat thinner.
mo. here is the will" he muttered,
pointing to the thin packet, "and here
are the deeds. Both with my seal un-
broken"
"A seal is easily broken and put right
again." answered Monk; but tell me
one thing before we examine the pack
cts. Has any one else except Mr.. Howell
seen the will and list of your posses
sions?"
NO" exclaimed old Prick, with de-
cision; lawyers have only been sent
into the world by the devil, to do mis-
chief. / wouldn't have anything to do
I with them. | went to the sheriff and
got him to draw up the formula for me,
and then / wrote the will myself. How
ell knew that, as we'll, confound him !
That such a father should have such a
SOM" he muttered. in quite another tone
of voice.
well let us open the packets, them"
said Monk; I'VE shall perhaps find more
traces of Mr.. Howelps fingers"
The small packet was opened, and we
all leant over to look at the will.
1t was drawn in the usual legal form,
and told briefly that Prick bequeathed
his c~uriosities and collections to the
state, all his movable property-ready
one bank shares. ETC., etc.,-to Mr..
Reginald Howell house property, mort
cages, etc., to the university, the Royal
Society for Science, and other institu-
! tons.
Everything was fully specified, and
the sums either given exact, or refer
ence was made to a list appended.
Well, everything here seems all
right; it is exactly as I wrote it my
sell. The coachman and gardener have
signed as witnesses. / gave them each
FIVE thousand kroners cash. to avoid in
Guiding them among the legatees."
"Are you quite sure. Mr.. Prick" said
Monk. as he Ieant over the paper. Here
is a figure which looks IS if 1t had been
erased"
Let me seel Yes-what the devil 10
thisl Ny house. property, shares, etc.
he read. which, according to the list
amount to about 1000, 600 kroners.-but,
bless me! | possess nearer 1,eoO,OoO
which is nearly the double, and that was
what | wrote
There you asel We shall get at it,
little by little" said Monk. with his most
genial smiic. | hadn't seen him in such
a good humor for a long time.
But | don't understand" grumbled
old Frick. What motive can he have
IN making me out to be poorer than |
am? He doesn't get the $780, 900 kroners
which have been erasedl'
LET US look at the list and the mort
cages" answered Monk, just as g~enially.
"We shall be sure to find the solution"
The other envelope was opened.
/ read out the list, and old Prick
opened the mortgages and deeds in the
order / read
mo. lit Drammen Road, deed"
"Yes, here it is"
Karl Johans Street, II. deed"
"Yes, that's all right"
Etc, etc.
Mortgages to the amount of $4,000
kroners. in the farm Hof, in Hede-
marker"
Eyes, here it is" ,tRTa a
And so we went on.
TT was a long business" I said; but
we've come to the end at last"
End" shouted old Prick. "But it
hasn't come to an end The plum is
always at the bottom, and a fine plum it
Is toop
"What do you meanf There's moth
ing more on the list"
Old Prick fumbled about in the empty
envelope.
"And nothing more here, either! He
has stolen the mortgage deed in Ashton
Abbey, and" Old Prick tore the list
out of my hand. Just look here! Con
found him! IL he hasn't cut off the
bottom part of the list, so that the last
item is missing But bless me, if I can
understand what satisfaction he can get
out of this mortgage"
Nor l." | muttered; mortgages are
no papers payable to bearer, SO any one
can make them into ready money. You
need only write to England to get a
new copy of the mortgage"
Monk knows very well what it all
means" exclaimed Clara; "he is only
raising our curiosity. If had known
that you would so soon begin with your
superior detective ways, | wouldn't have
helped you so quickly with the photo
graph,-that you may be quite sure
about"
She glanced with comic evaporation
at Monk, who, in return, only smiled
pleasantly.
Il must admit that at this moment
all is clear to me but the last knot has
only been unloosened two minutes ago.
Tell me, Mr.. Prick, what mortgage is it
, that you now speak of, and what was
the amount of it,"
Don't you remember" answered
Prick, testify, 81 once told you of an old