The Hindu returned with the morning mail. It contained a letter from Duncan's lawyer. The young man read the message:
Please call at my office at your earliest convenience. This is very important, and I will expect to see you shortly.
ROBERT CHALMERS TREMAINE.
Two hours later, Duncan was seated in the lawyer's office, facing Tremaine across a large mahogany desk.
'Good morning, Mr. Duncan,' said the lawyer in a voice that suited his pompous appearance. 'I have interesting news for you.'
'I'm glad to hear that.'
'Your uncle, Mr. Duncan, was an interesting man. You, as his heir, received rather unusual instructions, which I understand you have followed, in order to comply with the terms of his legacy.'
'Correct, Mr. Tremaine,' said Duncan. 'I have lived in Uncle Harvey's house since the day he died. I have slept in the front room which he occupied, as his will instructed. During the day, my servant has been there continually - except when I have been at home.'
The lawyer smiled.
'Those instructions,' he said, 'were left with a purpose. What the purpose was, I do not know. I was your uncle's attorney, but he did not take me into his confidence on that matter. Some time before his death, however, your uncle told me that he intended to impart some information to you before he died.
He was unable to do this as he passed away the day you reached the city. He was calling for you when he died.'
'So I have been told,' said Duncan soberly.
'Your uncle anticipated that something might prevent him giving you his message - which proved to be the case - so he left a sealed envelope with me. It was to be delivered to you on this date.'
Bruce Duncan studied the long, heavy envelope that Tremaine handed him.
The lawyer thereupon ushered him into a smaller room, to a table in the midst of book-lined walls.
'You will not be disturbed here.'
Alone, the young man tore open the envelope which was of cloth texture inside. He withdrew several folded sheets of paper. The inner page carried a message in clearly legible longhand. Bruce recognized it as his uncle's writing.
As he scanned the firmly written lines, astonishment came over him. He began to understand not only why his uncle had left such unusual instructions regarding the occupancy of the house, but, also, he gained an inkling of the significance of last night's experience.
CHAPTER III. A STRANGE HERITAGE
THE terse, blunt statements of the letter told a strange story so plainly that they seemed like spoken words. Bruce Duncan, as he read them, could imagine the very tones of his uncle's voice: I am speaking to you, Bruce. I am writing in the front room of my house. The shades are drawn. It is late at night. You and I are alone. These are the exact words that I hope to say to you before I die, in the place that I have named. This message is written to be read if that hope is not realized.
I am a comparatively old man, Bruce. You are young and you are my only living relative. You are my dead brother's son and, like him, you have the firm traits of our family.
I am a man with a mission, Bruce, as I write these words. When you read this message, my mission will be yours; for I shall be dead.
For years I have lived in the front room of my home. I have been there always at nights, as you will be.
For that room contains a secret which must be guarded.
I have been many places in my life. I have had many adventures. I was in Russia during the Revolution. In Moscow I saved the life of a great man - a member of the nobility - a general in the army of the czar.
I brought him to safety. I risked my life for him. I left him in Paris, and then I saw him some time later. He was going back to Russia. He intended to join the forces of Admiral Kolchak in their fight against the Red rule.
He had another purpose, also. He intended to reclaim a vast wealth. Money, in golden rubles; and precious gems. An amazing fortune. He had left it hidden in Russia, and he was confident that no one could have discovered the hiding place.
He told me that in his trials he had gained the help and friendship of seven men. To each of them he owed an obligation. He regarded me as the most important of the seven.
He stated that he intended to divide his wealth into three parts - each a fortune. One was for the surviving members of his family. Another was for the cause of the czarists. The third was to be divided into eight portions - one each for six of the men who had befriended him; two for myself.
To me he intrusted the division of this fortune. He gave me a sealed box containing the insignia of a high royal order, which he or his messenger would recognize. He gave me a sealed envelope containing the names of the other six men with their descriptions.
Some day, he declared, I would receive a message simply stating a time and place for a meeting. There I would find him or his messenger. The other six would be present, each notified independently. At that time, I should open the box and reveal the insignia. The fortune would then be given to me without question.
My next duty would be to open the envelope, learn the names of the other six friends, and identify them.
To each I should give his share. Should any be absent, it would depend upon me to find them and to give their shares to them or to their heirs, if they had died.
I regarded this as a sacred trust. Upon my return to America, I constructed a hiding place and kept the package and the envelope there. My health had failed, and I lived indoors, always remaining in that room.
For as years passed, the matter became to me the most important subject of my life.
My Russian friend was killed in the rout of the Kolchak forces. Still I maintained the trust, confident that he had placed his affairs in the hands of some relative or trusted friend.
I have earned my reward. One week ago, I received a letter that stated the time and place of the meeting. I added the letter to the package and the envelope which contained the names of the other six men.
When you read this, I will be dead. Dead, before the meeting time. I rely upon you to fulfill the mission and to receive the wealth that would have been my reward.
The secret hiding place is in my room. You must live there and guard the spot until the appointed time.
Do not regard this as an old man's whim. It is important. No one knows my secret, yet sometimes the most secret things are discovered.
Use the utmost secrecy, Bruce. Be sure that you are alone, in my room. Go to the fireplace. Press upon the metal border at the top of the right side. The hiding place will open. It is concealed by a stone in the hearth.
Read the letter. Learn the time and place of the meeting. Carry the package and the sealed envelope and go there - alone. You know your duty from then on. Destroy this letter after you have read it.
The signature of Harvey Duncan was at the bottom of the page.
THE young man stared at the words before him. He read the letter again. Each fact seemed to burn itself into his brain. He tore the papers into fragments. He wondered what to do with them, then realized it did not matter.
For the secret was no longer his alone. His uncle's fears had been realized. Some one had discovered the hiding place. Bruce was positive now that he had been drugged the right before. Perhaps the hashish - if that had been the drug - had made the strange visitor seem grotesque. But he was certain that some living being had entered his room and had taken the documents and the package.
His only hope was that the thief had not fully understood the significance of the objects he had taken. This seemed a faint hope. Where, then, had the information been gained? Bruce was sure that no one could have read the letter which he had just perused. Tremaine, the lawyer, was unquestionably reliable. Abdul could not have known of the secret. Perhaps the knowledge had been gained from Russia. No; that would not have carried a clue to the hiding place in the hearth.
Bruce Duncan went into Tremaine's office. He was tempted to tell the lawyer what he had learned, for he felt that he needed advice. The secret had been discovered; this fact might alter the instructions in the letter, which demanded absolute secrecy. On second thought Duncan decided to say nothing.
