Everybody was in bed but Miss Garth and myself, and she had been down to the dining-room for something. Mr. Holford was asleep, so as I wanted to re-fill the water-bottle, I took it up and went. As I was passing the door of this room that we are in now, I heard a noise, and looked in at the door, which was open. There was a candle on the table which had been left there earlier in the evening. Miss Garth was opening the top right hand drawer of that bureauâ - Mrs. Turton stabbed her finger spitefully toward the piece of furniture, as though she owed it a personal grudge - âand I saw her take out a blue foolscap envelope, and as the flap was open, I could see the enclosed paper was white. She shut the drawer, locked it, and came out of the room with the envelope in her hand.â
âAnd what did you do?â
âI hurried on, and she came away without seeing me, and went in the opposite direction - toward the small staircase.â
âPerhaps,â Mr. Crellan ventured at a blurt, âperhaps she was walking in her sleep?â
âThat she wasnât!â the nurse replied, âfor she came back to Mr. Holfordâs room almost as soon as I returned there, and asked some questions about the medicine - which was nothing new, for I must say she was very fond of interfering in things that were part of my business.â
âThat is quite certain, I suppose,â Holmes remarked, âthat she could not have been asleep?â
âQuite certain. She talked for about a quarter of an hour, and wanted to kiss Mr. Holford, which might have wakened him, before she went to bed. In fact, I may say we had a disagreement.â
Holmes did not take his steady gaze from the nurseâs face for some seconds after she had finished speaking. Then he only said, âThank you, Mrs. Turton. I need scarcely assure you, after what Mr. Crellan has said, that your confidence shall not be betrayed. I think that is all, unless you have more to tell us.â
Mrs. Turton bowed and rose. âThere is nothing more,â she said, and left the room.
As soon as she had gone, âIs Mrs. Turton at all interested in the will,â Holmes asked.
âNo, there is nothing for her. She is a new-comer, you see. Perhaps,â Mr. Crellan went on, struck by an idea, âshe may be jealous, or something. She seems a spiteful woman - and really, I canât believe her story for a moment.â
âWhy?â
âWell, you see, itâs absurd. Why should Miss Garth go to all this secret trouble to do herself an injury - to make a beggar of herself? And besides, sheâs not in the habit of telling barefaced lies. She distinctly assured us, you remember, that she had never been to the bureau for any purpose whatever.â
âBut the nurse has an honest character, hasnât she?â
âYes, her character is excellent. Indeed, from all accounts, she is a very excellent woman, except for a desire to govern everybody, and a habit of spite if she is thwarted. But, of course, that sort of thing sometimes leads people rather far.â
âSo it does,â Holmes replied. âBut consider now. Is it not possible that Miss Garth, completely infatuated with Mr. Mellis, thinks she is doing a noble thing for him by destroying the will and giving up her whole claim to his uncleâs property? Devoted women do just such things, you know.â
Mr. Crellan stared, bent his head to his hand, and considered. âSo they do, so they do,â he said. âInsane foolery. Really, itâs the sort of thing I can imagine her doing - sheâs honor and generosity itself. But then those lies,â he resumed, sitting up and slapping his leg; âI canât believe sheâd tell such tremendous lies as that for anybody. And with such a calm face, too - Iâm sure she couldnât.â
âWell, thatâs as it may be. You can scarcely set a limit to the lengths a woman will