her mother (and, consequently,
against herself) with a fierce logic of attack.

This was more like the Molly whom he had known before, and Mark felt the
atmosphere a little clearer. Having left not the faintest shadow of a
defence for her own action, she suddenly became silent. After some
moments she leant forward.

"Do you know," she said, in a tone so low that he only just caught the
words, "I see now what must have happened. It is strange that I never
thought of it before. I see it now quite clearly. Of course the will and
the letter were wrongly addressed, and probably some letter to my mother
was sent to Lady Rose."

"That does not follow," said Father Molyneux.

"But it's not unlikely," argued Molly. "It is more probable that the two
letters should be put into the wrong envelopes than that one should be
addressed to the wrong person. It's a mistake that is made every day,
only the results are usually of less consequence. It must have been
curious reading for my mother--that letter about herself to Lady Rose
Bright."

"It is so difficult," said Mark, feeling his way cautiously, "to be sure
of not acting on fancied facts when there are so few to go upon. Do you
suppose that the detective in Florence had any definite plan of action
given to him by his employer? For just supposing that your guess is
right, they may have got some clue to what happened in the letter that
was sent by mistake to Lady Rose. Have you no notion at all whether
they may not now have got some evidence to prove that there was another
will?"

Molly shook her head.

"Do you think," she said, "they would have been quiet all this time if
there had been any real evidence at all? It is three years since Sir
David died, and six months since my mother died."

She did not notice how Mark started at this information. Had Miss
Dexter, then, been in possession of this letter to Lady Rose and the
last will for six months?

"You were not sent these papers at once?" he ventured to ask.

"Yes; Dr. Larrone, who attended my mother, brought them to me. He left
Florence two hours after she died."

Another silence followed.

"It seems to me that a great deal might be done by a private
arrangement. Probably their case is not strong enough, or likely to be
strong enough, for them to push it through. It should be arranged that
you should receive the L1000 a year that Sir David intended to give your
mother."

Molly laughed scornfully.

"I'd rather b