The valet stole up, self-accused, a timid, servile creature, rubbing his
hands nervously, and suspecting mischief. He was a rat in trouble. He
had thin brown hair, neatly brushed and plastered down, so as to make it
look still thinner, and his face was the average narrow cunning face of
the dishonest man-servant. It had an ounce of wile in it to a pound or
two of servility. He seemed just the sort of rogue meanly to join in an
underhand conspiracy, and then meanly to back out of it. You could read
at a glance that his principle in life was to save his own bacon.
He advanced, fumbling his hands all the time, and smiling and fawning.
"You wished to see me, sir?" he murmured, in a deprecatory voice,
looking sideways at Lady Georgina and me, but addressing the lawyer.
[Illustration: "YOU WISHED TO SEE ME, SIR?"]
"Yes, White, I wished to see you. I have a question to ask you. _Who_
put the forged will in Mr. Ashurst's desk? Was it you, or some other
person?"
The question terrified him. He changed colour and gasped. But he rubbed
his hands harder than ever and affected a sickly smile. "Oh, sir, how
should _I_ know, sir? _I_ had nothing to do with it. I suppose--it was
Mr. Tillington."
Our lawyer pounced upon him like a hawk on a titmouse. "Don't
prevaricate with me, sir," he said, sternly. "If you do, it may be worse
for you. This case has assumed quite another aspect. It is you and your
associates who will be placed in the dock, not Mr. Tillington. You had
better speak the truth; it is your one chance, I warn you. Lie to me,
and instead of calling you as a witness for our case, I shall include
you in the indictment."
White looked down uneasily at his shoes, and cowered. "Oh, sir, I don't
understand you."
"Yes, you do. You understand me, and you know I mean it. Wriggling is
useless; we intend to prosecute. We have unravelled this vile plot. We
know the whole truth. Higginson and Lord Southminster forged a will
between them----"
"Oh, sir, _not_ Lord Southminster! His lordship, I'm sure----"
Mr. Hayes's keen eye had noted the subtle shade of distinction and
admission. But he said nothing openly. "Well, then, Higginson forged,
and Lord Southminster accepted, a false will, which purported to be Mr.
Marmaduke Ashurst's. Now, follow me clearly. That will could not have
been put into the escritoire during Mr. Ashurst's life, for there would
have been risk of his discovering it. It must, therefore, have been put
there afterward. The moment he was dead, you, or somebody else with your
consent and connivance, slipped it into the escritoire; and you
afterwards showed Mr. Tillington the place where you had set it or seen
it set, leading him to believe it was Mr. Ashurst's will, and so
involved him in all this trouble. Note that that was a felonious act. We
accuse you of felony. Do you mean to confess, and give evidence on our
behalf, or will you force me to send for a policeman to arrest you?"
The cur hesitated still. "Oh, sir," drawing back, and fumbling his hands
on his breast, "you don't mean it."