"Well, no more
than I asked him sort of jokingly, how the secret was. And he said it was
just about to come out, and we must watch the papers."
"There was a remark he made," observed Stephens. "He said it would be of
just as much interest, perhaps of far more, to our Colonial papers as to
the English."
"Yes--he said that," agreed Fosdick. "He knew, you see, that we were just
about setting off home."
"He didn't ask you to his house?" inquired Mr. Pawle.
"That was mentioned, but we couldn't fix dates," replied Fosdick.
"However, we told him we were both coming over again on business, next
year, and we'd come and see him then."
Mr. Pawle spread out his hands with a gesture of helplessness.
"We're as wise as ever," he exclaimed.
"No," said Fosdick emphatically, "wiser! The man had a secret, affecting
powerful interests. Many a man's been put away for having a secret."
Mr. Pawle put his finger-tips together and looked thoughtfully at his
elder visitor.
"Well, there's a good deal in that," he said at last. "Now, while you're
here, perhaps you can tell me something else about Ashton.
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