Tom Ossington's Ghost Part 22

"Does it? It does nothing of the kind. Not after what I found in this very room last night. In the face of that, I care nothing for Mr.

Nicholls, or for his threats either. What do you think yourself, Mr.

Graham?"

"If you will allow me, I will give you my own opinion when I have told you of all that pa.s.sed between Mr. Nicholls and myself. Indeed, I am now coming to that very point."

"There you are, you see. You will not let the man finish, you really won't. I never saw anything like you women for interrupting--never in all my life."

This of course was Jack--who was, as usual, ignored.

Graham brought his story to an end.

"'There is one more question', I said, 'which I should like to ask you, Mr. Nicholls. Do you know any one of the name of Edward John Hurley?'

"'I ought to, seeing that some one of the name of Edward John Hurley is in our office at this moment, and has been in our office for something over a quarter of a century.'

"'Can I see him?'

"Mr. Nicholls touched a bell, and presently Mr. Hurley entered. I felt that his presence on the spot was a stroke of luck for which I had certainly been unprepared. He was a tall, thin, dignified looking man, with grey hair. He wore spectacles. Taking them off, he wiped them with his handkerchief before he replaced them on his nose to look at me.

"'Do you remember, Mr. Hurley,' I began, 'the 22nd of October, 1892?'

"'The 22nd of October, 1892?' He repeated my words, then replied to my question with another, 'May I inquire why you ask?'

"'I will put my question in another form. Do you remember witnessing Mr. Thomas Ossington's attachment of his signature to a certain doc.u.ment on the 22nd of October, 1892?'

"I had noticed that Mr. Nicholls and he had exchanged glances when I first put my query. Now he looked at his princ.i.p.al evidently in search of guidance.

"'Shall I answer this gentleman's question, sir?'

"'Certainly. Give him all the information you can.'

"This Mr. Hurley proceeded to do, with the utmost clearness.

"'I do remember the 22nd of October, 1892, and the whole of the circ.u.mstances. I chanced to meet Mr. Ossington in Holborn as I was leaving the office. He asked me if I would dine with him in his house at Wandsworth. I went with him to dinner there and then. After dinner he asked me if I would witness his signature. I expressed my willingness. I witnessed it.'

"'Were you acquainted with the nature of the doc.u.ment he was signing?'

"'I was not. I have often wondered what it was, especially in the light of after events. The doc.u.ment, which was on a sheet of blue foolscap, had evidently been prepared before my arrival: Mr.

Ossington, covering the writing with a piece of blotting-paper, signed it, in the middle of the page, directly underneath, while I affixed my signature, as witness, on the left-hand side.'

"'Was there another witness?'

"'There was, the servant girl.'

"'What was her name?'

"'I never heard it. I only know that he called her Louisa. I think I should recognise her if I saw her again. She was a red-faced, light-haired, strapping wench, about eighteen years of age.'

"'Should you recognise Ossington's signature--and your own--and the doc.u.ment to which they were attached?'

"'Most decidedly; under any circ.u.mstances, at any time.'

"I thanked him for his frankness, and rose to go. Nicholls stopped me.

"'One moment,' he said. 'Hurley informed us, at the time, of what he has just now told you, and, like him, we have frequently wondered what was the nature of the doc.u.ment he witnessed. As you are evidently aware that such a paper existed once upon a time, you are probably acquainted with its present whereabouts?'

"'I am. It will be produced in due course. When, I promise you, you will see as curious a doc.u.ment as is to be found upon the records.'

"Both Nicholls and Hurley endeavoured to induce me to be more definite. But I was not to be persuaded. Thanking them for the information they had given me, I came away."

CHAPTER XIII

AN INTERRUPTED TREASURE HUNT

"Well," inquired Martyn, when Graham? had finished, "what is the situation now?"

"First of all," struck in Madge, "how about the will?"

"As regards the will, I do not hesitate to say that it is as sound and valid a declaration of the testator's wishes as has been admitted to probate--Mr. Hurley's testimony removes all doubt upon that point. A man has a right to do what he will with his own--and that is all Mr.

Ossington has done."

"How does it effect our right of search?"

"That is another question. The will gives neither you nor any one else a t.i.tle for the destruction of property. It simply conveys to the finder the possession of certain things which are not specifically mentioned. But it authorises no one to look for those things, still less to do damage while looking."

"Then is our search barred? Aren't we to look at all?"

"I don't say that. My advice is to put the legal aspect aside, and to regard the common-sense one only. The will says that certain things, when found, are to become the property of the finder, and this house with them. You have reason to believe that those things are concealed within this house. Then it is for you to consider whether it is worth your while to run the risk of becoming responsible for any damage you may do in case of your failure to find those things. My opinion is, that it is worth your while to run that risk--that it is worth any one's while to run that risk."

Madge stood up, with resolute lips, and sparkling eyes. She struck her hand upon the table.

"I'm sure it is! I know it is!"

Bruce Graham also rose.

"I am willing to share the risk if it is shareable--or to a.s.sume the whole of it, for the matter of that. I incline strongly to your belief, Miss Brodie, that there is something hidden well worth the finding, and that its hiding-place is within the walls of Clover Cottage."

Jack Martyn hammered his fist upon the table.

"Hear, hear!--bravo!--spoken like a man! 'Pon my word, I'm beginning to think that there is something in it after all. A conviction is creeping over me, slowly but surely, that in less time than no time I shall be filling my pockets with the contents of Aladdin's Cave--and as there is only a bent sixpence and two bad pennies in them at present, there's plenty of room for more."

"The point is," said Ella, "where are you going to begin to look?"

"I am going to do what Mr. Nicholls wanted to do," declared Madge--"tear the house to pieces."