J. S. Fletcher

“ There is a widow and one child. The widow takes one-third; the child—Fanshawe—two-thirds. What real estate there is, is shared similarly. So things stand.
"But," concluded Gaffkin, wagging his forefinger warningly, "only on the supposition that the marriage at Monaco was a valid one!"
"And if it wasn't?" asked Brixey.
"Let's suppose that it was not!" said Gaffkin. "In that case Mrs. Byfield and her son are not entitled to one penny. She was not Martin Byfield's legal wife, therefore she was not his legal widow. Fanshawe Byfield was not in any legal position to his father. ”

“ But whether or not, as Cradock Melsome was living, and if there had been no divorce between them, her marriage to Martin Byfield was null and void."
"Absolutely?" asked Brixey.
"Absolutely! Now, then," continued Gaffkin—"what follows? She does marry Martin Byfield. They live here in Selchester or abroad. They have a son, this young fellow, Fanshawe. No one suspects Mrs. Byfield's secret—whether she ever told it to Martin Byfield himself is a very doubtful point in my mind And who was there, to discover it—for a long time? ”

“ Gaffkin took a pinch of snuff from an old-fashioned box which he drew from his waistcoat pocket.
"Man and boy, boy and man," he remarked, "I've had a good long experience of legal matters, Mr. Brixey, and since I left Mr. Linthwaite I've seen and known some queer things in the private detective line. This is a queer thing!
"Of course, since I made these discoveries yesterday, -and, since hearing the bits you've told me to-day, I've formulated a theory. This is a conspiracy, probably shared in by a lot of people. Object—to get hold of the late Martin Byfield's money. Money, sir! ”