If, on the contrary, he should not be found or have proved his identity by that day, then the former will was to hold good absolutely, and the codicil became null and void.
Such, shorn of its legal verbiage, was the document which Roger, by the same hand that executed it, was invited, if he wished, to destroy.
Perhaps for a moment, as his eyes glanced once more across the park, and a vision of Rosalind flitted across his mind, he was tempted to avail himself of his liberty.

But if the idea endured a moment it had vanished a moment after.
He went up to the piano, where Mr Armstrong, still in the clouds, was roaming at will over the chords, and laid his father's letter on the keyboard.
"Read that, please, Armstrong." The tutor wheeled round on his stool, and put up his glass.

Something in the boy's voice arrested him.
He glanced first at his pupil, then at the paper.
"A private letter ?" said he.
"I want your help; please read it." The tutor's inscrutable face, as he perused the letter carefully from beginning to end, afforded very little direction to the boy who sat and watched him anxiously.

Having read it once, Mr Armstrong turned back to the first page and read it again; and then with equal care perused the codicil.

When all was done, he returned them slowly to the envelope and handed it back.
"Well ?" said Roger, rather impatiently.
"It is a strange birthday greeting," said Mr Armstrong, "and comes, I fear, from a mind unhinged.