_From Mr. de Bleriot to Mrs. Lecount._
"Private.
"Dark's Buildings, October 28th.
"DEAR MADAM--One of Mr. Loscombe's clerks has proved amenable to a small
pecuniary consideration, and has mentioned a circumstance which it may
be of some importance to you to know.
"Nearly a month since, accident gave the clerk in question an
opportunity of looking into one of the documents on his master's table,
which had attracted his attention from a slight peculiar ity in the
form and color of the paper. He had only time, during Mr. Loscombe's
momentary absence, to satisfy his curiosity by looking at the beginning
of the document and at the end. At the beginning he saw the customary
form used in making a will; at the end he discovered the signature of
Mr. Noel Vanstone, with the names of two attesting witnesses, and the
date (of which he is quite certain)--_the thirtieth of September last._
"Before the clerk had time to make any further investigations, his
master returned, sorted the papers on the table, and carefully locked up
the will in the strong box devoted to the custody of Mr. Noel Vanstone's
documents. It has been ascertained that, at the close of September,
Mr. Loscombe was absent from the office. If he was then employed in
superintending the execution of his client's will--which is quite
possible--it follows clearly that he was in the secret of Mr. Vanstone's
address after the removal of the 4th of September; and if you can do
nothing on your side, it may be desirable to have the lawyer watched on
ours. In any case, it is certainly ascertained that Mr. Noel Vanstone
has made his will since his marriage. I leave you to draw your own
conclusions from that fact, and remain, in the hope of hearing from you
shortly,
"Your faithful servant,
"ALFRED DE BLERIOT."