The Strange Case of Cavendish | Page 6

mention these things because I am your friend. Such friendship leads
me first to inform you what had happened over the phone. I realised

that Frederick's hasty determination to devise his property elsewhere
was the result of a quarrel. I believed it my duty to give you
opportunity to patch that quarrel up with the least possible delay.
Perhaps this was not entirely professional on my part, but the claims of
friendship are paramount to mere professional ethics."
He sighed, clasping and unclasping his hands, yet with eyes steadily
fixed upon Cavendish, who had sunk back into his chair.
"Now consider the situation, my dear fellow. I have, it is true,
performed an unprofessional act which, if known, would expose me to
severe criticism. There is, however, no taint of criminal intent about my
conduct and, no doubt, my course would be fully vindicated, were I
now to go directly before the court and testify to the existence of a
will."
"But that could not be proved. You have already stated that Frederick
took the will with him; it has never been found."
"Quite true--or rather, it may have been found, and destroyed. It
chances, however, that I took the precaution to make a carbon copy."
"Unsigned?"
"Yes, but along with this unsigned copy I also retain the original
memoranda furnished me in Frederick Cavendish's own handwriting. I
believe, from a legal standpoint, by the aid of my evidence, the court
would be very apt to hold such a will proved."
He leaned suddenly forward, facing the shrinking Cavendish and
bringing his hand down hard upon the desk.
"Do you perceive now what this will means? Do you realise where such
testimony would place you? Under the law, providing he died without a
will, you were the sole heir to the property of Frederick Cavendish. It
was widely known you were not on friendly terms. The evening of his
death you quarrelled openly in a public restaurant. Later, in a spirit of
friendship, I called you up and said he had made a will practically

disinheriting you. Between that time and the next morning he is
murdered in his own apartments, his safe rifled, and yet, the only paper
missing is this will, to the existence of which I can testify. If suspicion
is once cast upon you, how can you clear yourself? Can you prove that
you were in your own apartments, asleep in your own bed from one
o'clock until eight? Answer that."
Cavendish tried, but although his lips moved, they gave utterance to no
sound. He could but stare into those eyes confronting him. Enright
scarcely gave him opportunity.
"So, the words won't come. I thought not. Now listen. I am not that
kind of a man and I have kept still. No living person--not even my
partner--has been informed of what has occurred. The witnesses, I am
sure, do not know the nature of the paper they signed. I am a lawyer; I
realise fully the relations I hold to my client, but in this particular case I
contend that my duty as a man is of more importance than any
professional ethics. Frederick Cavendish had this will executed in a
moment of anger and devised his estate to a number of charities. I
personally believe he was not in normal mind and that the will did not
really reflect his purpose. He had no thought of immediate death, but
merely desired to teach you a lesson. He proposed to disappear--or at
least, that is my theory--in order that he might test you on a slender
income. I am able to look upon the whole matter from this standpoint,
and base my conduct accordingly. No doubt this will enable us to arrive
at a perfectly satisfactory understanding."
The lawyer's voice had fallen, all the threat gone, and the younger man
straightened in his chair.
"You mean you will maintain silence as to the will?"
"Absolutely; as a client your interests will always be my first concern.
Of course I shall expect to represent you in a legal capacity in settling
up the estate, and consequently feel it only just that the compensation
for such services shall be mutually agreed upon. In this case there are
many interests to guard. Knowing, as I do, all the essential facts, I am
naturally better prepared to conserve your interests than any stranger. I

hope you appreciate this."
"And your fee?"
"Reasonable, very reasonable, when you consider the service I am
doing you, and the fact that my professional reputation might so easily
be involved and the sums to be distributed, which amount to more than
a million dollars. My silence, my permitting the estate to go to
settlement, and my legal services combined, ought to be held as rather
valuable--at, let us