Chapter 7

He went through the rooms more carefully. In the sitting-room there was a little fancy desk. He had a key to this, and upon its being opened, one of the pigeon-holes yielded up a packet of dusty, faded papers. He went over them one by one; advertisements, unimportant business letters, receipts for small amounts; not until he reached the last envelope of all was he rewarded. This was sealed, and on it was written in an old man's cramped and tremulous hand: "For my heir." It was like a voice from beyond the grave.…