Tales of Terror and Mystery
The Man with the Watches
Takingthat,inconnectionwiththerecentfraudsatthehotels,thepolicemighthavegotholdofoneendofthestring.
"Idon’tthinkthereismuchmoreformetoexplain.WegottoavillagecalledAmershamthatnightinthecharacteroftwogentlemenuponawalkingtour,andafterwardswemadeourwayquietlytoLondon,whenceMacCoywentontoCairoandIreturnedtoNewYork.Mymotherdiedsixmonthsafterwards,andIamgladtosaythattothedayofherdeathsheneverknewwhathappened.ShewasalwaysunderthedelusionthatEdwardwasearninganhonestlivinginLondon,andIneverhadthehearttotellherthetruth.Heneverwrote;but,then,heneverdidwriteatanytime,sothatmadenodifference.Hisnamewasthelastuponherlips.
"There’sjustoneotherthingthatIhavetoaskyou,sir,andIshouldtakeitasakindreturnforallthisexplanation,ifyoucoulddoitforme.YourememberthatTestamentthatwaspickedup.Ialwayscarrieditinmyinsidepocket,anditmusthavecomeoutinmyfall.Ivalueitveryhighly,foritwasthefamilybookwithmybirthandmybrother’smarkedbymyfatherinthebeginningofit.Iwishyouwouldapplyattheproperplaceandhaveitsenttome.Itcanbeofnopossiblevaluetoanyoneelse.IfyouaddressittoX,Bassano’sLibrary,Broadway,NewYork,itissuretocometohand."
