Argosy, Vol. 122, No. 1 — page 87: what you’re looking at

Machine-transcribed from the original scan — historical spelling and the odd misread are preserved.

FINDINGS his citizen’s clothes—mounting the steps of the Maywell house, asking to see Miss Allaine, and gladdening her heart by the presentation to her of the instrument which made her the chief legatee of her Uncle Hardy’s estate. But he could not give this document to the girl. This particular will favored neither her nor her brother. If it were produced the will found in the safe would be invalidated. And then neither of the twins would bene- fit from the state. ‘Andrew Maywell had threatened to pro- duce this very will in Vale’s hand. So Mr. Wilmot had told Inspector McKane. If the criminal lawyer had not possessed this paper, why had he said he did? Harry Vale was too thoroughly convinced of Andrew Maywell’s sharpness and legal acumen to believe that he would knowingly make an empty threat. He must have thought he had the will where he could put his hand on it. That being the case, who had hidden it behind the tile in that studio on Vandam Street? Allaine had known where it was. She had claimed residence there. It might be the place where she had lived from the time of her separation from Colonel May- well until the time of his death. How did this second will, making Andrew the chief legatee, come to be in the girl's possession— and evidently without Andrew’s knowledge? It was a puzzling affair. Vale folded the paper carefully and put it back in its soiled envelope, thrusting it for safe-keep- ing into the breast of his shirt. Then he shook out his uniform coat and put it on again. Buttoned to his chin, he strode back to the station in a very brown study in- deed. He had not the first idea as to what was the wisest course for him to take. Much as he admired Allaine, he quite knew that she had no right to the possession of this will. And certainly her brother must not get hold of it. Vale was convinced that Allan would bear watching. As for Mr. Andrew Maywell, the police- man’s opinion of his honesty was negative. This will actually made the criminal lawyer IS KEEPINGS. 17 heir of the Maywell fortune. But did it express the last wishes and intention of the dead man? Should it be in existence at all? Ordinarily, of course, Harry Vale would have decided at once that the whole affair of the three wills was none of his business! He would have seen clearly that the proper | thing for him to do was to hand the docu- ment he had secured in a manner so amaz- ing to Mr. George Wilmot, who at least represented the Maywell estate, and was an honest attorney. But this will promised to ruin the hopes of both Allaine and her brother. With the pro- bating of the instrument found in the safe, Allan would obtain the larger share of the estate. But it seemed probable that he would share it with his sister. If the last will Colonel Maywell had executed came to light, Allaine would be in control of the half-million. It was of the girl Harry Vale thought. He wanted to secure her rights—or what he believed to be her rights—in her great uncle’s property. He could not do this by producing the document in his possession, that was sure! Every hour that he hesitated, keeping this will favoring Andrew in secret, he would be endangering his own -comfort and peace of mind. Whoever he gave the paper to would demand an explanation as to how he had obtained it. Allaine’s attempt to save the will from the burning studio must then be told. Vale had promised not to drag the girl’s name into any publicity. Another puzzling question in his mind: Why had the girl risked her life to save this document that gave the Maywell es- tate to her Cousin Andrew? This fact seemed most unreasonable. Yet that is what she had done. Had Vale not followed her into that burning studio she would have never got out alive. And for the sake of this will that would invalidate her brother’s claim to the Maywell fortune! Did the girl wish to hold this document as a threat over her brother? If he refused to divide the fortune with her, she could have produced this document and wrecked Allan’s hopes as well as her own. Or she could have used it to hold up Cousin Andrew. ; cComiclbooks.com