Mr. Franklin seemed nervous and excited. He fumbled in his pockets as if in search of something. Presently he advanced toward the old gentleman and said quietly:
"Mr. Denny, can you bear one more piece of news--one more link in this terrible chain of crime?"
"Yes," he replied slowly. "There can be nothing worse than this. Speak, my son--let us hear everything."
"I think, sir," said the young man reverently, "that I ought to thank God that He has enabled me to bring such knowledge as He has given me to your service."
With these words he held out a small bit of sheet glass about two inches square.
"Where?" cried Mr. Denny in amazement. "I see nothing."
"There it is--on that piece of glass. That dusky spot in the centre is a micro-photographic copy of your father's will."
"My son, my son, do not trifle with us in this our hour of trial."
"Far be it from me to do such a thing. Alma, will you please go to my room and bring down my lantern? And John, you may go and help Miss Denny. Bring a sheet from the spare bed also."
"I do not know what you mean, my son. You tell me the will is destroyed, and you say you have a copy. Is it a legal copy? and how do you know it is really my father's will? Have you read it?"
"Yes, sir. You shall read it too presently. I have already shown it to a lawyer, and he pronounced it correct and perfectly legal."
"But why did you not tell us of it before?"
"I have only had it a few days, sir, and I wished first to crush or capture this robber."
"Hadn't ye better let me take him off, sir?" said the sheriff. "He's done enough to take him afore the grand jury. Besides, we have another bitter bill against him down in the village."
"No," said Mr. Franklin. "Let him stay and see the will. It may interest him to know that all his villainous plans are utterly overthrown."
"Shut up, you whelp," said the man in the chair.
"Shut up--ye," replied the sheriff, administering a stout cuff to the prisoner's ear. "Ye best hold your tongue, man."
Just here Alma and John returned with the lantern. Under Elmer's directions they hung the sheet over one of the windows, and then the young man prepared his apparatus for a small trial of lantern projections. Mr. Denny sat in his chair silent and wondering. He knew not what to say or do, and watched these preparations with the utmost attention.