"By jorrocks!" cried the listener at this point, greatly disturbed.
"Then Mrs. Clover--as we call her--wasn't really his wife at all?"
"I regret to say that she was not," replied Greenacre with proper
solemnity. "I grieve to tell you that our deceased friend committed
bigamy. Our deceased friend was a most peculiar man; I can't say
that I approve of his life, viewed as a whole."
Then came Gammon's disclosure about the burning of the will and
about Lord Polperro's intention to see his solicitor.
Greenacre smiled grimly.
"If I may make a personal remark, Gammon," he said in measured
tones, "I will confess that I should never have allowed the
destruction of that document. You, my friend, if I am not mistaken,
had a still greater interest in preventing it. That will provided
very handsomely for Mrs. Clover, for Miss Clover, and--I may say
liberally--for a young lady named Miss Sparkes."
He smiled more grimly than ever.
Gammon drew in his breath and refrained from speech.
"Of course, I understand his motives," pursued Greenacre.
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