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Updated: June 22, 2025
Briefly, it was that on the evening before this consultation with Eldrick & Byner, he had found out that he was living in the house of a man who had actually witnessed the famous catastrophe at Mallathorpe's Mill, whereby John Mallathorpe, his manager, and his cashier, together with some other bystanders, had lost their lives.
He told me that in turning over one of the books which he had bought from Mallathorpe Mill, some short time ago, he had found what do you think?" Mrs. Mallathorpe's cheek had flushed at the mention of the books from the Mill. Now, at Pratt's question, and under his searching eye, she turned very pale, and the clerk saw her fingers tighten on the arms of her chair. "What?" she asked. "What?"
"John Mallathorpe's will!" he answered. "Do you understand? His will!" The woman glanced quickly about her at the doors, the uncurtained window. "Safe enough here," whispered Pratt. "I made sure of that. Don't be afraid no one knows but me." But Mrs. Mallathorpe seemed to find some difficulty in speaking, and when she at last got out a word her voice sounded hoarse. "Impossible!"
And he had asked Mrs. Cobcroft, just then in his sitting-room, if her husband was fond of gardening. "It's a nice change for him, sir," answered the landlady. "He's kept pretty close at it all day in the office yonder at Mallathorpe's Mill, and it does him good to get a bit o' fresh air at nights, now that the fine weather's coming on.
If they had been deposited in his own pocket, they would have been found when his clothing was removed and examined. If they were in the private office when the three men left it "You're sure the drawers, safe and so on in Mr. Mallathorpe's room were thoroughly searched after his death?" he asked. "I should think they were!" answered Cobcroft laconically. "I helped at that, myself.
Because the probability is that Pratt said to your mother, 'I have got John Mallathorpe's will! It doesn't leave his property to your son and daughter. Therefore, I have all of you at my mercy. Make it worth my while, or I will bring the will forward. Do you see that situation?"
Collingwood at once realized that he was in the presence of one of the two fortunate young people who had succeeded so suddenly and, according to popular opinion, so unexpectedly to John Mallathorpe's wealth. This was evidently Miss Nesta Mallathorpe, of whom he had heard, but whom he had never seen.
"I'll sum up my own ideas on this matter, got from the various details that have been supplied to me since I came to Barford. Just consider my points one by one. Let's take them separately and see how they fit in. Mr. Bartle is seen by his shop-boy to take a certain paper from a book which came from the late John Mallathorpe's office at Mallathorpe Mill. He puts that paper in his pocket.
And he was not going empty-handed. He had a considerable amount of Mrs. Mallathorpe's money in his possession; by obtaining her signature to one or two documents he could easily obtain much more in London, at an hour's notice.
If Pratt had looked more closely at her just then, he would have taken warning from the sudden flash of hatred and resentment which swept across Mrs. Mallathorpe's face it would have told him that he was dealing with a dangerous woman who would use her wits to circumvent and beat him if not now, then later. But he was moving the gas bracket over the mantelpiece, and he did not see.
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