long way back. But he told me that, as far as he was aware, he had no
close relations living, and when I suggested to him that he ought to go
down to Lancashire and look up old scenes and old friends, he replied
that he'd no intention of doing so--he must, he said, have been
completely forgotten in his native place by this time."

"Did he tell you what his native place was, Mr. Armitstead?" asked Mr.
Pawle, who had given Viner two or three expressive glances during the
visitor's story.

"Yes," replied Mr. Armitstead. "He did--Blackburn. He left it as a very
young man."

"Well," said Mr. Pawle, "there's a considerable amount of interest in
what you tell us, for Mr. Viner and myself have been making certain
inquiries during the last twenty-four hours, and we formed, or nearly
formed, a theory which your information upsets. Ashtons of Blackburn? We
must go into that. For we particularly want to know who Mr. John Ashton
was--there's a great deal depending on it. Did he tell you more?"

"About himself, no," replied the visitor, "except that he'd been
exceedingly fortunate in Australia, and had made a good deal of money and
was going to settle down here in London. He took my address and said he'd
write and ask me to dine with him as soon as he got a house to his
liking, and he did write, only last week, inviting me to call next time I
was in town. Then I saw the accounts of his murder in the papers--a very
sad thing!"

"A very mysterious thing!" remarked Mr. Pawle. "I wish we could get some
light on it!"