Marketstoke, dying out there in Australia, handed these things to Ashton
and asked him to give them to some members of the Cave-Gray
family--perhaps an aunt, or a cousin, or so on--and that Ashton went down
to Marketstoke to find out what relations were still in existence. That
may be it--that would solve the problem!"

"No!" said Viner was sudden emphasis. He made sure that the door of the
little room was closed, and then went up to the old lawyer's elbow. "Is
that really all you can think of?" he asked, with a keen glance. "As for
me--why, I'm thinking of something that seems absolutely--obvious!"

"What, then?" demanded Mr. Pawle. "Tell me!"

Viner pointed towards the door.

"Haven't we heard already, that a man named Wickham handed over his
daughter Avice to Ashton's care and guardianship?" he asked. "Doesn't
that seem to be an established fact?"

"No doubt of it!" assented Mr. Pawle. "Well?"

"In my opinion," said Viner, quietly, "Wickham was the missing Lord of
Marketstoke!"

Mr. Pawle, who was still turning over the letters, examining their dates,
let them slip out of his hands and gasped.

"By George!" he exclaimed in a wondering voice. "It may be--possibly is!
Then, in that case, that girl outside there--"