had told his two Melbourne friends? How was it, if legal proceedings were
likely to arise out of it, that Ashton had not told Pawle about it? Was
it possible that he had gone to some other solicitor? If so, why didn't
he come forward? And what, too, was this mystery about Miss Wickham and
her father? Why, as Pawle had remarked, were there no papers or
documents, concerning her to be found anywhere? Had she anything to do
with the secret? It seemed to him that the confusion was becoming more
confounded. But the first thing to do was to save Hyde. And he was
relieved to see that Felpham jumped at Pawle's suggestion.

"Good!" said Felpham. "Of course, I'll have Hyde brought up at the
inquest, and he shall tell his story. And we'll save these Australian
chaps until Hyde's been in the box. I do wish Hyde himself could tell us
more about that man whom he saw leaving the passage. Of course, that man
is the actual murderer."

"You think that?" asked Viner.

"Don't doubt it for one moment--and a cool, calculating hand, too!"
declared Felpham. "A man who knew what he was doing. How long do you
suppose it would take to strike the life out of a man and to snatch a few
valuables from his clothing? Pooh! to a hand such as this evidently was,
a minute. Then, he walks calmly away. And--who is he? But--we're not
doing badly."

That, too, was Viner's impression when he walked out of the coroner's
court next day. After having endured its close and sordid atmosphere for
four long hours, he felt, more from intuition than from anything
tangible, that things had gone well for Hyde. One fact was plain--nothing
more could be brought out against Hyde, either there, when the inquest