Hewitt placed the cutting on the table at his side. “Yes?” he said inquiringly. “It is to Mr. Algernon Rewse’s death you wish to draw my attention?”
“It is,” Mr. Bowyer answered; “and the reason I come to you is that I very much suspect--more than suspect, indeed--that Mr. Algernon Rewse has _not_ died by small-pox, but has been murdered--murdered cold-bloodedly, and for the most sordid motives, by the friend who has been sharing his holiday.”
“In what way do you suppose him to have been murdered?”
“That I cannot say--that, indeed, I want you to find out, among other things--chiefly, perhaps, the murderer himself, who has made off.”
“And your own status in the matter,” queried Hewitt, “is that of--?”
“I am trustee under a will by which Mr. Rewse would have benefited considerably had he lived but a month or two longer. That circumstance indeed lies rather near the root of the matter. The thing stood thus. Under the will I speak of--that of young Rewse’s uncle, a very old friend of mine in his lifetime--the money lay in trust till the young fellow should attain twenty-five years of age. His younger sister, Miss Mary Rewse, was also benefited, but to a much smaller extent. She was to come into her property also on attaining the age of twenty-five, or on her marriage, whichever event happened first. It was further provided that in case either of these young people died before coming into the inheritance, his or her share should go to the survivor. I want you particularly to remember this. You will observe that now, in consequence of young Algernon Rewse’s death, barely two months before his twenty-fifth birthday, the whole of the very large property--all personalty, and free from any tie or restriction--which would otherwise have been his, will, in the regular course, pass, on her twenty-fifth birthday, _or on her marriage,_ to Miss Mary Rewse, whose own legacy was comparatively trifling. You will understand the importance of this when I tell you that the man whom I suspect of causing Algernon Rewse’s death, and who has been his companion on his otherwise lonely holiday, is engaged to be married to Miss Rewse.”
Mr. Bowyer paused at this, but Hewitt only raised his eyebrows and nodded.