e had ever been in Cousin Henry
had now been altogether knocked out of him. He attempted no further
struggle, uttered no denial, nor did he make any answer to the words
of abuse which Mr Apjohn had heaped on his head. He too raised
himself from the floor, slowly collecting his limbs together, and
seated himself in the chair nearest at hand, hiding his face with his
hand.

"That is the most wonderful thing that ever came within my
experience," said Mr Brodrick.

"That the man should have hidden the will?" asked Mr Apjohn.

"Why do you say I hid it?" moaned Cousin Henry.

"You reptile!" exclaimed Mr Apjohn.

"Not that he should have hidden it," said the Hereford attorney, "but
that you should have found it, and found it without any search;--that
you should have traced it down to the very book in which the old man
must have left it!"

"Yes," said Cousin Henry. "He left it there. I did not hide it."

"Do you mean," said Mr Apjohn, turning upon him with all the severity
of which he was capable, "do you mean to say that during all this
time you have not known that the will was there?" The wretched man
opened his mouth and essayed to speak, but not a word came. "Do you
mean to tell us that when you refused us just now permission to
search this room, though you were willing enough that we should
search elsewhere, you were not acquainted with the hiding-place? When
I asked you in my office the other day whether you knew where the
will was hidden, and you wouldn't answer me for very fear, though
you were glib enough in swearing that you had not hidden it yourself,
then you knew nothing about the book and its enclosure? When you told
Mr Griffith down at Coed that you had something to divulge, were you
not then almost driven to tell the truth by your dastardly cowardice
as to this threatened trial? And did you not fail again because you
were afraid? You mean poltroon! Will you dare to say before us, now,
that when we entered the room this morning you did not know what the
book contained?" Cousin Henry once more opened his mouth, but no
word came. "Answer me, sir, if you wish to escape any part of the
punishment which you have deserved."

"You should not ask him to criminate himself," said Mr Brodrick.

"No!" shrieked Cousin Henry; "no! he shouldn't ask a fellow to tell
against himself. It isn't fair; is it, Uncle Brodrick?"

"If I hadn't made you tell against yourself one way or another," said
Mr Apjohn, "the will woul