"
Lestrade began to laugh.
"You are too many for me when you begin to get on your theories,
Mr. Holmes," said he. "How does this bear on the case?"
"Well, it corroborates the young man's story to the extent that
the will was drawn up by Jonas Oldacre in his journey yesterday.
It is curious -- is it not? -- that a man should draw up so
important a document in so haphazard a fashion. It suggests
that he did not think it was going to be of much practical
importance. If a man drew up a will which he did not intend
ever to be effective he might do it so."
"Well, he drew up his own death-warrant at the same time,"
said Lestrade.
"Oh, you think so?"
"Don't you?"
"Well, it is quite possible; but the case is not clear to me yet."
"Not clear? Well, if that isn't clear, what COULD be clear?
Here is a young man who learns suddenly that if a certain older
man dies he will succeed to a fortune. What does he do?
He says nothing to anyone, but he arranges that he shall go out
on some pretext to see his client that night; he waits until
the only other person in the house is in bed, and then in the
solitude of a man's room he murders him, burns his body in the
wood-pile, and departs to a neighbouring hotel.
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