"To come to personal matters," went on the colonel, "I have heard more in detail from my brother Andre about your mother's property.  He has traced the butler--Martel is his name--in the official records, and has found that he was taken prisoner in an attack several months ago.  He was very anxious to cross-examine him on some testimony he had given previously.  It seems that Martel had testified that he had witnessed the execution of a later will than that in which the property was left to your mother.  You can easily see how unfortunate that might be if it could be proved.  Andre has a suspicion that cross-examination might show Martel's testimony to be false."