seen the paragraph in the papers this morning in which I asked if anybody
could give any information about Mr. John Ashton's movements, and had
immediately sent her off to me with the message that a gentleman of that
name stayed at their house for a few days some weeks since, and that if I
would send somebody over there, she, the grandmother, could give some
particulars about him. So that solves the question we were talking of at
Markendale Square, as to where Ashton went during the absence Mrs.
Killenhall told us of."

"If this is the same Ashton," suggested Viner.

"We'll soon decide that," answered Mr. Pawle as he touched the bell on his
desk. "I purposely awaited your coming before hearing what this young
woman had to tell. Now, my dear," he continued as a clerk brought the
girl into the room, "take a chair and tell me what your message is, more
particularly. You're from Marketstoke eh? Just so--and your grandmother,
who sent you here, keeps an inn there?"

"Yes, sir, the Ellingham Arms," replied the girl as she sat down and
glanced a little nervously at her two interviewers.

"To be sure. And your grandmother's name is--what?"

"Hannah Summers, sir."

"Mrs. Hannah Summers. Grandfather living?"

"No, sir."

"Very well--Mrs. Hannah Summers, landlady at the Ellingham Arms,