"Do you know who's one of the witnesses to this will?
Aye, who are the two witnesses?
Man!--you could have knocked me down with a feather when I saw the names! Look for yourself!" He handed me the paper and pointed to the attestation clause with which it ended.

And I saw the two names at once--John Phillips, Michael Carstairs--and I let out a cry of astonishment.
"Aye, you may well exclaim!" said he, taking the will back.

"John Phillips!--that's the man was murdered the other night! Michael Carstairs--that's the elder brother of Sir Gilbert yonder at Hathercleugh, the man that would have succeeded to the title and estates if he hadn't predeceased old Sir Alexander.

What would he be doing now, a friend of Gilverthwaite's ?" "I've heard that this Mr.Michael Carstairs went abroad as a young man, Mr.Lindsey, and never came home again," I remarked.

"Likely he foregathered with Gilverthwaite out yonder." "Just that," he agreed.