Upon this occasion she spent no time in trying to find the spring.  There was danger now as always of Miss Penfold’s coming, and as she would soon have the means of entering the room at her will she would run no risk.  A few days later she asked for a day to go to Weymouth to purchase some things of which she had need, and when there she called upon Mr. Tallboys.

“How are you, Mrs. Conway?” the lawyer said when the door had closed behind her.  “Have you come to tell me that you give up the search as hopeless?”

“Not at all,” she replied with decision.  “I told you in my letter that I had discovered the probable position of the hiding-place, and told you of the difficulties there were in making a thorough search for it owing to the room being always kept locked.  I have come now to ask you to get a key made from this,” and she produced the wax.  “It would be suspicious if I were to go to a locksmith here and ask for such a thing; he would think at once that I was a servant who wanted to rob my mistress.  But of course it will be different with you.  Beside, I thought that if you did not like to get it done here, you might send the wax up to London and get the key made there.”

“This is becoming more and more serious, Mrs. Conway,” Mr. Tallboys said gravely.  “Nothing very terrible could happen to you beyond being turned out of the house even were it discovered who you really are; but if you were found at night, and I suppose your intention is to work at night, in the library, with a false key in your possession, you might be arrested for an attempt at theft, and could only clear yourself by explaining before the magistrates who you were, and with what motive you were acting, which would give rise to much unpleasant talk, would render any pursuance of your plan impossible, and might not improbably induce these women to destroy the will, if they have not already done so.”

“I am quite convinced they have not done that, Mr. Tallboys.  The anxiety they have about any one entering the room, and the manner in which Miss Penfold pops in occasionally to see what I am doing, is quite proof in my mind that the will is still in existence; for if they had destroyed it, they would have no further anxiety on the subject.  No, I have thought it all over, and must run the risk.  There is no other way of making a complete search; and in one night there by myself I could do far more than in a twelvemonths’ visits as at present.  There are two or three more things I wish you would procure for me.  I want a man’s coat and cap, rough ones, such as a burglar might wear.  You see, if by any chance I am met by those women going downstairs, or returning to my room, I must give them a start.  Dressed up like that, and with a piece of crape over my face, I should be taken for a burglar.  I don’t think Miss Penfold is very easily frightened; but at the same time I fancy I might alarm her into returning to her room, and should be able to get back to mine before the house was roused.  I shall always unfasten a window on the ground floor and lift it a little, so that it would be supposed that the intruder entered and escaped that way.”