He had surprised them all. 'You don't say so,' exclaimed Mrs. Moulder.
'Confessed her guilt,' said Mrs. Smiley. 'But what guilt, Mr. Kantwise?'
'She forged the will,' said Kantwise.
'I knew that all along,' said Bridget Bolster.
'I'm d——— if I believe it,' said Moulder.
'You can do as you like about that,' said Kantwise; 'but she has. And I'll tell you what's more: she and young Mason have already left Orley Farm and given it all up into Joseph Mason's hands.'
'But didn't she get a verdict?' asked Snengkeld.
'Yes, she got a verdict. There's no doubt on earth about that.'
'Then it's my opinion she can't make herself guilty if she wished it; and as for the property, she can't give it up. The jury has found a verdict, and nobody can go beyond that. If anybody tries she'll have her action against 'em.' That was the law as laid down by Snengkeld.
'I don't believe a word of it,' said Moulder. 'Dockwrath has told him. I'll bet a hat that Kantwise got it from Dockwrath.'
It turned out that Kantwise had received his information from Dockwrath; but nevertheless, there was that in his manner, and in the nature of the story as it was told to them, that did produce belief. Moulder for a long time held out, but it became clear at last that even he was shaken: and now, even Kenneby acknowledged his conviction that the signature to the will was not his own.
'I know'd very well that I never did it twice,' said Bridget Bolster triumphantly, as she sat down to the supper table.
I am inclined to think, that upon the whole the company in Great St. Helen's became more happy as the conviction grew upon them that a great and mysterious crime had been committed, which had baffled two courts of law, and had at last thrust itself forth into the open daylight through the workings of the criminal's conscience. When Kantwise had completed his story, the time had come in which it behoved Mrs. Moulder to descend to the lower regions, and give some aid in preparation of the supper. During her absence the matter was discussed in every way, and on her return, when she was laden with good things, she found that all the party was contented except Moulder and her brother.
'It's a very terrible thing,' said Mrs. Smiley, later in the evening, as she sat with her steaming glass of rum and water before her. 'Very terrible indeed; aint it, John? I do wish now I'd gone down and see'd her, I do indeed. Don't you, Mrs. Moulder?'
'If all this is true I should like just to have had a peep at her.'
'At any rate we shall have pictures of her in all the papers,' said Mrs. Smiley.
