AustLit

Somerton Roach breaks into a country residence determined to rob it, but discovers an old man nearly dying and promises to help him make out a new will disinheriting his nephew who his keeping him prisoner until he dies. In fact, Roach discovers to help him make out the will but together they rescue the prisoner. When the nephew discovers the old man's absence he - with his servant - announce that the old man had died and with the help of a discredited doctor obtain another corpse to bury in his place. At the reading of the will the uncle himself appears; his nephew succumbs to shock and dies in the grip of D.Ts; and Roach and his friend marry their sweethearts, Roach becoming the old man's heir. Sub-plot involving woman who had loved Roach but give him up for a rich richer suitor - the true nephew - at her mother's insistence. (PB)