Mr. Tallboys smiled a little, but said, “It is a very risky business, Mrs. Conway.  Miss Penfold is just the sort of woman to keep pistols in her bedroom.”

“One must risk something when one is fighting for a fortune,” Mrs. Conway said quietly.  “I hope that I shall not be heard.  There are always creakings and noises in an old house like that.  The doors are thick and well fitting, and there is little chance of my footsteps being heard.  It is only by an accident, such as one of them being unable to sleep and getting up and walking over the house, that they are likely to run against me, and it is not probable she would have a pistol in her hand then.  No, I do not think there is the least fear of anything of that sort.  The only fear I have is of being detected in some other way before I have done what I have to do, and the risk of that grows less and less every day.

“I have been there over four months now, and am perfectly at home.  I was at first afraid of a sudden meeting with Mr. Withers, or his wife, or Mabel; but that has passed away now.  I saw he recognized me the first Sunday in church, and I wrote to him; of course sending the letter to Dover to be sent back from there.  He answered me praying me to give up what he called my mad-brained attempt, and saying it made him and his wife quite unhappy to think of my being at the Hall.  He told me that at present they had not told Mabel that I was there, but had sent her away to school at Bath.  She is with an aunt, and will not be home again for some months; so I am safe from her.  No, I am not in the least anxious about myself.  I cannot say as much about Ralph.  His regiment has just gone out to Belgium, and I suppose there will be fighting presently.  I think of that more now than I do of this will, Mr. Tallboys.  If I had known what was coming, I would not have begun this search until it was all over.  What use would it be for me to find the will if anything happened to him.”

“It is clearly of no use my trying to dissuade you from carrying out your plans, Mrs. Conway; and although I cannot altogether approve of them, I will do my best to help you as far as lies in my power, and you shall have the key down very shortly.  How shall I send it over?”

“I have ordered a dress and some other things at Wilson’s in the High Street.  The dress has to be made up, and will not be ready for a week.  I have told them there will be three or four other parcels, which they are to put in the box and send it on by the carrier.  I have ordered a pair of boots to be made for me and one or two other things, and told them not to close the box until this day fortnight, by which time all the other things I have ordered will be sent in to them.  I hope you will have got the key before that.”

“Oh, yes, I should think it would be done in a week at latest.  You certainly deserve success, Mrs. Conway, for you seem to provide for every contingency.”