"
"He had insured her life!" said Valentine, under his breath.
This, then, was the key to the mystery. The Haygarthian inheritance was
but a remote contingency, a shadowy prize, which could scarcely have
tempted the secret assassin; but the insurance had offered the prospect
of immediate gain. The one link wanting to complete the chain of evidence
against Philip Sheldon was found. There was no longer a question as to
his motive.
"This man knows of one insurance on her life," Valentine thought to
himself; "there may have been more than one."
After a brief silence, in which Mr. Hawkehurst had been lost in thought,
the lawyer proceeded to discuss the terms of the post-nuptial settlement
necessary for the protection of his client's interests. In the course of
this discussion Valentine explained his position in relation to George
Sheldon, and stated the demands of that sharp practitioner.
Mr. Greenwood was utterly aghast upon hearing Mr. Hawkehurst's views on
this subject.
"You mean to tell me that this man claims a clear half of the Haygarth
estate--fifty thousand pounds--in consideration of his paltry
discoveries!"
"Such is the demand he has made, and which I have pledged myself not to
oppose. He certainly does open his mouth very wide; but we are bound to
consider that but for these discoveries of his, my wife and my wife's
relatives would in all probability have gone down to their graves in
ignorance of their claim to this estate.
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