Then, too, he seemed to have a great many more wrappings and swaddlings about his gouty foot than appeared to be necessary--unless it was done to make his helpless state very apparent, and to carry out his assertion that he hadn't been able to walk a foot unassisted for the past week, and could not, therefore, be in any way connected with young Carboys' mysterious vanishment.

Still, even that had its contra aspect.

He might be one of those individuals who make a mountain out of a molehill of pain, and insist upon a dozen poultices where one would do.
But Cleek could not forget that, as Narkom had said, there was not the shadow of doubt that in the event of Carboys having died possessed of means, the Captain would be the heir-at-law by virtue of his kinship; and it is a great deal more satisfactory to be rich oneself than to be dependent upon the generosity of a rich son-in-law.

So, after adroitly exercising the "pump" upon other matters: "I suppose, Miss Morrison," said Cleek in a casual off-hand sort of way, "you don't happen to know if Mr.Carboys ever made a will, do you?
I am aware, from what Mr.Narkom has told me of his circumstances, that he really possessed nothing that would call for the execution of such a document; but young men have odd fancies sometimes--particularly when they become engaged--so it is just possible that he might have done such a thing; that there was a ring or something of that sort he wanted to make sure of your getting should anything happen to him.

Of course, it is an absurd suggestion, but--" "It is not so absurd as you think, Mr.Headland," she interrupted.