The Lost Parchment

"The Lost Parchment" is a detective story written by Fergus Hume. It revolves around the inheritance of a squire, the murder of the vicar at the squire's home, and the appearance of Carrington, the squire's old schoolmate who is a lawyer and blackmailer, along with the squire's cousin Mallien and his daughter Dorinda. The vicar tells the squire that he has found a will that disinherits him and names Mallien as the inheritor. However, the vicar is murdered at the squire's home, and the culprit is unknown. Rupert, the squire, is torn between keeping Mallien's potential guilt a secret for the sake of his family's reputation and preventing Carrington from blackmailing him. Carrington suggests that Rupert should inform Mallien of what has been discovered and threaten to denounce him to the police if he does not surrender all claims to the property. Will Rupert keep this secret?