Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/104

 and neither Wedgwood nor the superintendent broke in on his thoughts. Suddenly he twisted round on the detective.

"I shouldn't wonder if you've tumbled into a queer family romance, my friend!" he said, with a somewhat sardonic laugh. "If that girl in London calling herself Avice Mortover really is the daughter of Matthew Mortover, and if her father was the Matthew Mortover I am thinking of, she's the rightful owner of this Mortover property! What d'ye think of that, now?"

What Wedgwood thought was expressed by his silence. He suddenly saw a reason for John Wraypoole's murder! Mr. Umpeltye had indeed thrown light on that matter. And the old man was quick to note the detective's silence, and to understand it, and he chuckled as if amused.

"That gives you to think, eh, my friend!" he said. "Well, now you listen to me, and I'll tell you the recent history of the Mortover family. We'll begin at Gilson Mortover, grandfather of this present Philip Mortover. Gilson had two sons—the elder, Matthew; the younger, Stephen. When Matthew had grown to man's estate he didn't get on with his father, and eventually, after a violent quarrel with the old man, he left home. As far as I am aware he