been the real motive of the murder? Might it not have been that Ashton
had been murdered for some quite different motive, and that the murderer
had hastily removed the watch, chain, purse, and rings from the body
with the idea of diverting suspicion, and in his haste had dropped one of
the rings?

"If only one knew more about Ashton and his affairs!" mused Viner. "Even
his own people don't seem to know much."

This reminded him of his promise to call on Miss Wickham. He glanced at
his watch: it was not yet one o'clock: the proceedings before the
magistrate and the subsequent talk with Hyde had occupied comparatively
little time. So Viner walked rapidly to number seven in the square,
intent on doing something toward clearing Hyde of the charge brought
against him. The parlour-maid whom he had seen the night before admitted
him at once; it seemed to Viner that he was expected. She led him
straight to a room in which Mrs. Killenhall and Miss Wickham were in
conversation with an elderly man, who looked at Viner with considerable
curiosity when his name was mentioned, and who was presently introduced
to him as Mr. Ashton's solicitor, Mr. Pawle, of Crawle, Pawle and
Rattenbury.




CHAPTER VI

SPECULATIONS