"We saw your name in the newspapers this morning in
connection with the murder of John Ashton. Now, we knew John Ashton--he
was a Melbourne man, too--and we can tell something about him. So we came
to you instead of the police. Because, Mr. Pawle, what we can tell is
maybe more a matter for a lawyer than for a policeman. It's mysterious."
"Gentlemen," said Mr. Pawle, "I'll be frank with you. I recognized your
names as soon as my clerk announced them. Here's a cablegram which I have
just received from Melbourne--you'll see your names mentioned in it."
The two callers bent over the cablegram, and Fosdick looked up and
nodded.
"Yes, that's right," he said. "We came over with John Ashton in the
_Maraquibo_. We knew him pretty well before that--most folk in Melbourne
did. But of course, we were thrown into his company on board ship rather
more than we'd ever been before. And we very much regret to hear of
what's happened to him."
"You say there is something you can tell?" observed Mr. Pawle. "If it's
anything that will help to solve the mystery of this murder,--for there
is a mystery,--I shall be very glad to hear it.
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