\"Gentlemen，thesealedenvelopewhichyouhaveseenmeopenisendorsed’MyLastWillandTestament——ROGERMELTON，June，1906。’
Thisdocument\"——holdingitup——\"isasfollows：
\"’IRogerMeltonofOpenshawGrangeintheCountyofDorset；ofnumberonehundredandtwenty—threeBerkeleySquareLondon；andoftheCastleofVissarionintheLandoftheBlueMountains，beingofsoundminddomakethismyLastWillandTestamentonthisdayMondaytheeleventhdayofthemonthofJuneintheyearofOurLordonethousandninehundredandsixattheofficeofmyoldfriendandAttorneyEdwardBinghamTrentinnumberonehundredandseventy—sixLincoln’sInnFieldsLondonherebyrevokingallotherwillsthatI
mayhaveformerlymadeandgivingthisasmysoleandlastWillmakingdispositionsofmypropertyasfollows：
\"’1。TomykinsmanandnephewErnestHalbardMeltonEsquire，justiceofthePeace，HumcrofttheCountyofSalop，forhissoleuseandbenefitthesumoftwentythousandpoundssterlingfreeofallDutiesTaxesandchargeswhatevertobepaidoutofmyFivepercentumBondsoftheCityofMontreal，Canada。
\"’2。Tomyrespectedfriendandcolleagueasco—trusteetotheWillofmylatesisterPatiencelatewidowofthelateCaptainRupertSentLegerwhopredeceasedher，Major—GeneralSirColinAlexanderMacKelpie，Baronet，holderoftheVictoriaCross，KnightCommanderoftheOrderoftheBath，ofCroominthecountyofRossScotlandasumofTwentythousandpoundssterlingfreeofallTaxesandchargeswhatsoever；tobepaidoutofmyFivepercentumBondsoftheCityofToronto，Canada。
\"’3。ToMissJanetMacKelpiepresentlyresidingatCroomintheCountyofRossScotlandthesumofTwentythousandpoundssterlingfreeofallDutiesTaxesandChargeswhatsoever，tobepaidoutofmyFivepercentumBondsoftheLondonCountyCouncil。
\"’4。TothevariouspersonscharitiesandTrusteesnamedinthescheduleattachedtothisWillandmarkedA。thevarioussumsmentionedtherein，allfreeofDutiesandTaxesandchargeswhatsoever。’\"
HereMr。Trentreadoutthelistherefollowing，andannouncedforourimmediateunderstandingofthesituationthetotalamountastwohundredandfiftythousandpounds。Manyofthebeneficiarieswereoldfriends，comrades，dependents，andservants，someofthembeingleftquitelargesumsofmoneyandspecificobjects，suchascuriosandpictures。
\"’5。TomykinsmanandnephewErnestRogerHalbardMeltonpresentlylivinginthehouseofhisfatheratHumcroftSalopthesumofTenthousandpoundssterling。
\"’6。TomyoldandvaluedfriendEdwardBinghamTrentofonehundredandseventy—sixLincoln’sInnFieldssumofTwentythousandpoundssterlingfreefromallDutiesTaxesandChargeswhatsoevertobepaidoutofmyFivepercentumBondsofthecityofManchesterEngland。
\"’7。TomydearnephewRupertSentLegeronlysonofmydearsisterPatienceMeltonbyhermarriagewithCaptainRupertSentLegerthesumofonethousandpoundssterling。IalsobequeathtothesaidRupertSentLegerafurthersumconditionaluponhisacceptanceofthetermsofaletteraddressedtohimmarkedB，andleftinthecustodyoftheaboveEdwardBinghamTrentandwhichletterisanintegralpartofthismyWill。Incaseofthenon—acceptanceoftheconditionsofsuchletter，IdeviseandbequeaththewholeofthesumsandpropertiesreservedthereintotheexecutorshereinappointedColinAlexanderMacKelpieandEdwardBinghamTrentintrusttodistributethesameinaccordancewiththetermsoftheletterinthepresentcustodyofEdwardBinghamTrentmarkedC，andnowdepositedsealedwithmysealinthesealedenvelopecontainingmylastWilltobekeptinthecustodyofthesaidEdwardBinghamTrentandwhichsaidletterCisalsoanintegralpartofmyWill。Andincaseanydoubtshouldariseastomyultimateintentionastothedisposalofmypropertytheabove—mentionedExecutorsaretohavefullpowertoarrangeanddisposeallsuchmattersasmayseembesttothemwithoutfurtherappeal。AndifanybeneficiaryunderthisWillshallchallengethesameoranypartofit，ordisputethevaliditythereof，heshallforfeittothegeneralestatethebequestmadehereintohim，andanysuchbequestshallceaseandbevoidtoallintentsandpurposeswhatsoever。
\"’8。ForpropercompliancewithlawsanddutiesconnectedwithtestamentaryproceedingsandtokeepmysecrettrustssecretIdirectmyExecutorstopayallDeath，Estate，Settlement，Legacy，Succession，orotherdutieschargesimpositionsandassessmentswhateverontheresidueofmyestatebeyondthebequestsalreadynamed，atthescalechargedinthecaseofmostdistantrelativesorstrangersinblood。
\"’9。IherebyappointasmyExecutorsMajor—GeneralSirColinAlexanderMacKelpie，Baronet，ofCroomintheCountyofRoss，andEdwardBinghamTrentAttorneyatLawofonehundredandseventy—sixLincoln’sInnFieldsLondonWestCentralwithfullpowertoexercisetheirdiscretioninanycircumstancewhichmayariseinthecarryingoutmywishesasexpressedinthisWill。AsrewardfortheirservicesinthiscapacityasExecutorstheyaretoreceiveeachoutofthegeneralestateasumofonehundredthousandpoundssterlingfreeofallDutiesandimpositionswhatsoever。
\"12。ThetwoMemorandacontainedinthelettersmarkedBandCareIntegralPartsofthismyLastWillareultimatelyattheProbateoftheWilltobetakenasClauses10and11ofit。TheenvelopesaremarkedBandConbothenvelopeandcontentsandthecontentsofeachisheadedthus：BtobereadasClause10ofmyWillandtheotherC
tobereadasClause11ofmyWill。
\"13。Shouldeitheroftheabove—mentionedExecutorsdiebeforethecompletionoftheaboveyearandahalffromthedateoftheReadingofmyWillorbeforetheConditionsrehearsedinLetterCtheremainingExecutorshallhaveallandseveraltheRightsandDutiesentrustedbymyWilltoboth。AndifbothExecutorsshoulddiethenthematterofinterpretationandexecutionofallmattersinconnectionwiththismyLastWillshallrestwiththeLordChancellorofEnglandforthetimebeingorwithwhomsoeverhemayappointforthepurpose。
\"’ThismyLastWillisgivenbymeonthefirstdayofJanuaryintheyearofOurLordonethousandninehundredandseven。
\"’ROGERMELTON。
\"WeAndrewRossiterandJohnColsonhereinthepresenceofeachotherandoftheTestatorhaveseentheTestatorRogerMeltonsignandsealthisdocument。Inwitnessthereofweherebysetournames\"’ANDREWROSSITERclerkof9PrimroseAvenueLondonW。C。
\"’JOHNCOLSONcaretakerof176Lincoln’sInnFieldsandVergerofSt。
Tabitha’sChurchClerkenwellLondon。’\"
WhenMr。Trenthadfinishedthereadingheputallthepaperstogether，andtiedthemupinabundleagainwiththeredtape。
Holdingthebundleinhishand，hestoodup，sayingashedidso：
\"Thatisall，gentlemen，unlessanyofyouwishtoaskmeanyquestions；inwhichcaseIshallanswer，ofcourse，tothebestofmypower。Ishallaskyou，SirColin，toremainwithme，aswehavetodealwithsomematters，ortoarrangeatimewhenwemaymeettodoso。Andyoualso，Mr。SentLeger，asthereisthislettertosubmittoyou。Itisnecessarythatyoushouldopenitinthepresenceoftheexecutors，butthereisnonecessitythatanyoneelseshouldbepresent。\"
Thefirsttospeakwasmyfather。Ofcourse，asacountygentlemanofpositionandestate，whoissometimesaskedtotakethechairatSessions——ofcourse，whenthereisnotanyonewithatitlepresent——
hefoundhimselfunderthedutyofexpressinghimselffirst。OldMacKelpiehassuperiorrank；butthiswasafamilyaffair，inwhichmyfatherisHeadoftheHouse，whilstoldMacKelpieisonlyanoutsiderbroughtintoit——andthenonlytothedistaffside，bythewifeofayoungerbrotherofthemanwhomarriedintoourfamily。
FatherspokewiththesamelookonhisfaceaswhenheasksimportantquestionsofwitnessesatQuarterSessions。
\"Ishouldlikesomepointselucidated。\"Theattorneybowed（hegetshis120thou’，anyway，sohecanaffordtobeoily——suave，Isupposehewouldcallit）；sofatherlookedataslipofpaperinhishandandasked：
\"Howmuchistheamountofthewholeestate？\"
Theattorneyansweredquickly，andIthoughtratherrudely。Hewasredintheface，anddidn’tbowthistime；Isupposeamanofhisclasshasn’tmorethanaverylimitedstockofmanners：
\"That，sir，Iamnotatlibertytotellyou。AndImaysaythatI
wouldnotifIcould。\"
\"Isitamillion？\"saidfatheragain。Hewasangrythistime，andevenredderthantheoldattorney。Theattorneysaidinanswer，veryquietlythistime：
\"Ah，that’scross—examining。Letmesay，sir，thatnoonecanknowthatuntiltheaccountantstobeappointedforthepurposehaveexaminedtheaffairsofthetestatoruptodate。\"
Mr。RupertSt。Leger，whowaslookingallthistimeangrierthaneventheattorneyormyfather——thoughatwhathehadtobeangryaboutI
can’timagine——struckhisfistonthetableandroseupasiftospeak，butashecaughtsightofbotholdMacKelpieandtheattorneyhesatdownagain。Mem。——Thosethreeseemtoagreetoowell。Imustkeepasharpeyeonthem。Ididn’tthinkofthispartanymoreatthetime，forfatheraskedanotherquestionwhichinterestedmemuch：
\"MayIaskwhytheothermattersoftheWillarenotshowntous？\"
Theattorneywipedhisspectaclescarefullywithabigsilkbandannahandkerchiefbeforeheanswered：
\"Simplybecauseeachofthetwolettersmarked’B’and’C’isenclosedwithinstructionsregardingtheiropeningandthekeepingsecretoftheircontents。Ishallcallyourattentiontothefactthatbothenvelopesaresealed，andthatthetestatorandbothwitnesseshavesignedtheirnamesacrosstheflapofeachenvelope。
Ishallreadthem。Thelettermarked’B，’directedto’RupertSentLeger，’isthusendorsed：
\"’ThisletteristobegiventoRupertSentLegerbytheTrusteesandistobeopenedbyhimintheirpresence。HeistotakesuchcopyormakesuchnotesashemaywishandisthentohandtheletterwithenvelopetotheExecutorswhoareatoncetoreadit，eachofthembeingentitledtomakecopyornotesifdesirousofsodoing。TheletteristhentobereplacedinitsenvelopeandletterandenvelopearetobeplacedinanotherenvelopetobeendorsedonoutsideastoitscontentsandtobesignedacrosstheflapbyboththeExecutorsandbythesaidRupertSentLeger。
\"’（Signed）ROGERMELTON1/6/’06。
\"Thelettermarked’C，’directedto’EdwardBinghamTrent，’isthusendorsed：
\"’ThisletterdirectedtoEdwardBinghamTrentistobekeptbyhimunopenedforatermoftwoyearsafterthereadingofmyLastWillunlesssaidperiodisearlierterminatedbyeithertheacceptanceorrefusalofRupertSentLegertoaccepttheconditionsmentionedinmylettertohimmarked’B’whichheistoreceiveandreadinthepresenceofmyExecutorsatthesamemeetingasbutsubsequenttotheReadingoftheclauses（exceptthosetobeultimatelynumberstenandeleven）ofmyLastWill。ThislettercontainsinstructionsastowhatboththeExecutorsandthesaidRupertSentLegeraretodowhensuchacceptanceorrefusalofthesaidRupertSentLegerhasbeenmadeknown，orifheomitorrefusetomakeanysuchacceptanceorrefusal，attheendoftwoyearsnextaftermydecease。
\"’（Signed）ROGERMELTON1/6/’06。’\"
Whentheattorneyhadfinishedreadingthelastletterheputitcarefullyinhispocket。Thenhetooktheotherletterinhishand，andstoodup。\"Mr。RupertSentLeger，\"hesaid，\"pleasetoopenthisletter，andinsuchawaythatallpresentmayseethatthememorandumattopofthecontentsisgivenas—
\"’B。TobereadasclausetenofmyWill。’\"
St。Legerrolleduphissleevesandcuffsjustasifhewasgoingtoperformsomesortofprestidigitation——itwasverytheatricalandridiculous——then，hiswristsbeingquitebare，heopenedtheenvelopeandtookouttheletter。Weallsawitquitewell。Itwasfoldedwiththefirstpageoutward，andonthetopwaswrittenalinejustastheattorneysaid。Inobediencetoarequestfromtheattorney，helaidbothletterandenvelopeonthetableinfrontofhim。Theclerkthenroseup，and，afterhandingapieceofpapertotheattorney，wentbacktohisseat。Mr。Trent，havingwrittensomethingonthepaper，askedusallwhowerepresent，eventheclerkandtheshorthandman，tolookatthememorandumontheletterandwhatwaswrittenontheenvelope，andtosignthepaper，whichran：
\"WethesignatoriesofthispaperherebydeclarethatwehaveseenthesealedlettermarkedBandenclosedintheWillofRogerMeltonopenedinthepresenceofusallincludingMr。EdwardBinghamTrentandSirColinAlexanderMacKelpieandwedeclarethatthepaperthereincontainedwasheaded’B。TobereadasclausetenofmyWill’andthattherewerenoothercontentsintheenvelope。Inattestationofwhichweinthepresenceofeachotherappendoursignatures。\"
Theattorneymotionedtomyfathertobegin。Fatherisacautiousman，andheaskedforamagnifying—glass，whichwasshortlybroughttohimbyaclerkforwhomtheclerkintheroomcalled。Fatherexaminedtheenvelopealloververycarefully，andalsothememorandumattopofthepaper。Then，withoutaword，hesignedthepaper。Fatherisajustman。Thenweallsigned。Theattorneyfoldedthepaperandputitinanenvelope。Beforeclosingithepasseditround，andweallsawthatithadnotbeentamperedwith。
Fathertookitoutandreadit，andthenputitback。Thentheattorneyaskedusalltosignitacrosstheflap，whichwedid。Thenheputthesealing—waxonitandaskedfathertosealitwithhisownseal。Hedidso。ThenheandMacKelpiesealeditalsowiththeirownseals，Thenheputitinanotherenvelope，whichhesealedhimself，andheandMacKelpiesigneditacrosstheflap。
Thenfatherstoodup，andsodidI。Sodidthetwomen——theclerkandtheshorthandwriter。Fatherdidnotsayawordtillwegotoutintothestreet。Wewalkedalong，andpresentlywepassedanopengateintothefields。Heturnedback，sayingtome：
\"Comeinhere。Thereisnooneabout，andwecanbequiet。Iwanttospeaktoyou。\"Whenwesatdownonaseatwithnoneothernearit，fathersaid：
\"Youareastudentofthelaw。Whatdoesallthatmean？\"Ithoughtitagoodoccasionforanepigram，soIsaidoneword：
\"Bilk！\"
\"H’m！\"saidfather；\"thatissofarasyouandIareconcerned。Youwithabeggarlytenthousand，andIwithtwenty。Butwhatis，orwillbe，theeffectofthosesecrettrusts？\"
\"Oh，that，\"Isaid，\"will，Idaresay，beallright。UncleRogerevidentlydidnotintendtheoldergenerationtobenefittoomuchbyhisdeath。ButheonlygaveRupertSt。Legeronethousandpounds，whilsthegavemeten。Thatlooksasifhehadmoreregardforthedirectline。Ofcourse——\"Fatherinterruptedme：
\"Butwhatwasthemeaningofafurthersum？\"
\"Idon’tknow，father。Therewasevidentlysomeconditionwhichhewastofulfil；butheevidentlydidn’texpectthathewould。Why，otherwise，didheleaveasecondtrusttoMr。Trent？\"
\"True！\"saidfather。Thenhewenton：\"IwonderwhyheleftthoseenormoussumstoTrentandoldMacKelpie。Theyseemoutofallproportionasexecutors’fees，unless——\"
\"Unlesswhat，father？\"
\"Unlessthefortunehehasleftisanenormousone。ThatiswhyI
asked。\"
\"Andthat，\"Ilaughed，\"iswhyherefusedtoanswer。\"
\"Why，Ernest，itmustrunintobigfigures。\"
\"Right—ho，father。Thedeath—dutieswillbeannoying。Whatabeastlyswindlethedeath—dutiesare！Why，Ishallsufferevenonyourownlittleestate……\"
\"Thatwilldo！\"hesaidcurtly。Fatherissoridiculouslytouchy。
Onewouldthinkheexpectstoliveforever。Presentlyhespokeagain：
\"Iwonderwhataretheconditionsofthattrust。Theyareasimportant——almost——astheamountofthebequest——whateveritis。Bytheway，thereseemstobenomentioninthewillofaresiduarylegatee。Ernest，myboy，wemayhavetofightoverthat。\"
\"Howdoyoumakethatout，father？\"Iasked。Hehadbeenveryrudeoverthematterofthedeath—dutiesofhisownestate，thoughitisentailedandIMUSTinherit。SoIdeterminedtolethimseethatI
knowagooddealmorethanhedoes——oflaw，atanyrate。\"Ifearthatwhenwecometolookintoitcloselythatdogwon’tfight。Inthefirstplace，thatmaybeallarrangedinthelettertoSt。Leger，whichisapartoftheWill。Andifthatlettershouldbeinoperativebyhisrefusaloftheconditions（whatevertheymaybe），thenthelettertotheattorneybeginstowork。Whatitiswedon’tknow，andperhapsevenhedoesn’t——IlookedatitaswellasIcould—
—andwelawmenaretrainedtoobservation。ButeveniftheinstructionsmentionedasbeinginLetterCfail，thenthecorpusoftheWillgivesfullpowertoTrenttoactjustashedarnpleases。
Hecangivethewholethingtohimselfifhelikes，andnoonecansayaword。Infact，heishimselfthefinalcourtofappeal。\"
\"H’m！\"saidfathertohimself。\"Itisaqueerkindofwill，Itakeit，thatcanoverridetheCourtofChancery。Weshallperhapshavetotryitbeforewearedonewiththis！\"Withthatherose，andwewalkedhometogether——withoutsayinganotherword。
Mymotherwasveryinquisitiveaboutthewholething——womenalwaysare。FatherandIbetweenustoldherallitwasnecessaryforhertoknow。Ithinkwewerebothafraidthat，woman—like，shewouldmaketroubleforusbysayingordoingsomethinginjudicious。
Indeed，shemanifestedsuchhostilitytowardsRupertSt。Legerthatitisquiteonthecardsthatshemaytrytoinjurehiminsomeway。
Sowhenfathersaidthathewouldhavetogooutshortlyagain，ashewishedtoconsulthissolicitor，IjumpedupandsaidIwouldgowithhim，asI，too，shouldtakeadviceastohowIstoodinthematter。
TheContentsofLettermarked\"B\"attachedasanIntegralParttotheLastWillofRogerMelton。
June11，1907。
\"ThisletteranintegralpartofmyLastWillregardstheentireresidueofmyestatebeyondthespecificbequestsmadeinthebodyofmyWill。ItistoappointasResiduaryLegateeofsuchWill——incasehemayacceptindueformtheConditionshereinlaiddown——mydearNephewRupertSentLegeronlysonofmysisterPatienceMeltonnowdeceasedbyhermarriagewithCaptainRupertSentLegeralsonowdeceased。OnhisacceptanceoftheConditionsandthefulfilmentofthefirstofthemtheEntireresidueofmyestateafterpaymentsofallspecificLegaciesandofallmydebtsandotherobligationsistobecomehisabsolutepropertytobedealtwithordisposedofashemaydesire。Thefollowingaretheconditions。
\"1。HeistoacceptprovisionallybyletteraddressedtomyExecutorsasumofninehundredandninety—ninethousandpoundssterlingfreeofallDutiesTaxesorotherimposts。ThishewillholdforaperiodofsixmonthsfromthedateoftheReadingofmyLastWillandhaveuseroftheaccruementstheretocalculatedattherateoftenpercentumperannumwhichamountheshallundernocircumstancesberequiredtoreplace。AttheendofsaidsixmonthshemustexpressinwritingdirectedtotheExecutorsofmyWillhisacceptanceorrefusaloftheotherconditionshereintofollow。ButifhemaysochooseheshallbefreetodeclareinwritingtotheExecutorswithinoneweekfromthetimeoftheReadingoftheWillhiswishtoacceptortowithdrawaltogetherfromtheresponsibilityofthisTrust。Incaseofwithdrawalheistoretainabsolutelyandforhisownusetheabove—mentionedsumofninehundredandninety—
ninethousandpoundssterlingfreeofallDutiesTaxesandimpostswhatsoevermakingwiththespecificbequestofonethousandpoundsaclearsumofonemillionpoundssterlingfreeofallimposts。Andhewillfromthemomentofthedeliveryofsuchwrittenwithdrawalceasetohaveanyrightorinterestwhatsoeverinthefurtherdispositionofmyestateunderthisinstrument。ShouldsuchwrittenwithdrawalbereceivedbymyExecutorstheyshallhavepossessionofsuchresidueofmyestateasshallremainafterthepaymentoftheabovesumofninehundredandninety—ninethousandpoundssterlingandthepaymentofallDutiesTaxesassessmentsorImpostsasmaybeentailedbylawbyitsconveyancetothesaidRupertSentLegerandthesemyExecutorsshallholdthesameforthefurtherdisposalofitaccordingtotheinstructionsgiveninthelettermarkedCandwhichisalsoanintegralpartofmyLastWillandTestament。
\"2。Ifatorbeforetheexpirationofthesixmonthsabove—mentionedthesaidRupertSentLegershallhaveacceptedthefurtherconditionshereinstated，heistohaveuseroftheentireincomeproducedbysuchresidueofmyestatethesaidincomebeingpaidtohimQuarterlyontheusualQuarterDaysbytheaforesaidExecutorstowitMajorGeneralSirColinAlexanderMacKelpieBart。andEdwardBinghamTrenttobeusedbyhiminaccordancewiththetermsandconditionshereinaftermentioned。
\"3。ThesaidRupertSentLegeristoresideforaperiodofatleastsixmonthstobeginnotlaterthanthreemonthsfromthereadingofmyWillintheCastleofVissarionintheLandoftheBlueMountains。
AndifhefulfiltheConditionsimposedonhimandshalltherebybecomepossessedoftheresidueofmyestateheistocontinuetoresidethereinpartforaperiodofoneyear。HeisnottochangehisBritishNationalityexceptbyaformalconsentofthePrivyCouncilofGreatBritain。
\"AttheendofayearandahalffromtheReadingofmyWillheistoreportinpersontomyExecutorsoftheexpenditureofamountspaidorduebyhiminthecarryingoutoftheTrustandiftheyaresatisfiedthatsameareingeneralaccordwiththeconditionsnamedinabove—mentionedlettermarkedCandwhichisanintegralpartofmyWilltheyaretorecordtheirapprovalonsuchWillwhichcanthengoforfinalProbateandTaxation。OntheCompletionofwhichthesaidRupertSentLegershallbecomepossessedabsolutelyandwithoutfurtheractorneedoftheentireresidueofmyestate。Inwitnesswhereof，etc。
\"（Signed）ROGERMELTON。\"
ThisdocumentisattestedbythewitnessestotheWillonthesamedate。
（PersonalandConfidential。）
MEMORANDAMADEBYEDWARDBINGHAMTRENTINCONNECTIONWITHTHEWILLOF
ROGERMELTON。
January3，1907。
TheinterestsandissuesofallconcernedintheWillandestateofthelateRogerMeltonofOpenshawGrangearesovastthatincaseanylitigationshouldtakeplaceregardingthesame，I，asthesolicitor，havingthecarriageofthetestator’swishes，thinkitwelltomakecertainmemorandaofevents，conversations，etc。，notcoveredbydocumentaryevidence。Imakethefirstmemorandumimmediatelyaftertheevent，whilsteverydetailofactandconversationisstillfreshinmymind。Ishallalsotrytomakesuchcommentsthereonasmayservetorefreshmymemoryhereafter，andwhichincaseofmydeathmayperhapsaffordasopinionscontemporaneouslyrecordedsomeguidinglighttootherorotherswhomaylateronhavetocontinueandcompletethetasksentrustedtome。
I。
CONCERNINGTHEREADINGOFTHEWILLOFROGERMELTON。
When，beginningat11o’clocka。m。onthistheforenoonofThursday，the3rddayofJanuary，1907，IopenedtheWillandreaditinfull，excepttheclausescontainedinthelettersmarked\"B\"and\"C\"；therewerepresentinadditiontomyself，thefollowing：
1。ErnestHalbardMelton，J。P，nephewofthetestator。
2。ErnestRogerHalbardMelton，sonoftheabove。
3。RupertSentLeger，nephewofthetestator。
4。Major—GeneralSirColinAlexanderMacKelpie，Bart。，co—executorwithmyselfoftheWill。
5。AndrewRossiter，myclerk，oneofthewitnessesofthetestator’sWill。
6。AlfredNugent，stenographer（ofMessrs。Castle’soffice，21，Bream’sBuildings，W。C。）。
WhentheWillhadbeenread，Mr。E。H。Meltonaskedthevalueoftheestateleftbythetestator，whichqueryIdidnotfeelempoweredorotherwiseabletoanswer；andafurtherquery，astowhythosepresentwerenotshownthesecretclausesoftheWill。Iansweredbyreadingtheinstructionsendorsedontheenvelopesofthetwolettersmarked\"B\"and\"C，\"whichweresufficientlyexplanatory。
But，lestanyquestionshouldhereafterariseastothefactthatthememorandainlettersmarked\"B\"and\"C，\"whichweretobereadasclauses10and11oftheWill，IcausedRupertSentLegertoopentheenvelopemarked\"B\"inthepresenceofallintheroom。TheseallsignedapaperwhichIhadalreadyprepared，totheeffectthattheyhadseentheenvelopeopened，andthatthememorandummarked\"B。TobereadasclausetenofmyWill，\"wascontainedintheenvelope，ofwhichitwastobethesolecontents。Mr。ErnestHalbardMelton，J。P。，beforesigning，carefullyexaminedwithamagnifying—glass，forwhichhehadasked，boththeenvelopeandtheheadingofthememorandumenclosedintheletter。Hewasabouttoturnthefoldedpaperwhichwaslyingonthetableover，bywhichhemighthavebeenabletoreadthematterofthememorandumhadhesodesired。Iatonceadvisedhimthatthememorandumhewastosigndealtonlywiththeheadingofthepage，andnotwiththematter。Helookedveryangry，butsaidnothing，andafterasecondscrutinysigned。Iputthememoranduminanenvelope，whichweallsignedacrosstheflap。
Beforesigning，MrErnestHalbardMeltontookoutthepaperandverifiedit。Ithenaskedhimtocloseit，whichhedid，andwhenthesealing—waxwasonithesealeditwithhisownseal。SirColinA。MacKelpieandIalsoappendedourownseals。Iputtheenvelopeinanother，whichIsealedwithmyownseal，andmyco—executorandI
signeditacrosstheflapandaddedthedate。Itookchargeofthis。
Whentheotherspresenthadtakentheirdeparture，myco—executorandI，togetherwithMr。RupertSentLeger，whohadremainedatmyrequest，wentintomyprivateroom。