And he went straight to business before he had released the hand
which Mr. Pawle extended to him.
"Your clerk has no doubt already told you what I came about, Mr. Pawle?"
he said. "This Ashton affair."
"Just so," answered Mr. Pawle. "You know something about it? This
gentleman is Mr. Richard Viner, who is interested in it--considerably."
"To be sure," said the barrister. "One of the witnesses, of course. I
read the whole thing up last night. I have been on the Continent--the
French Riviera, Italy, the Austrian Tyrol--for some time, Mr. Pawle, and
only returned to town yesterday. I saw something, in an English
newspaper, in Paris, the other day, about this Ashton business, and as my
clerk keeps the _Times_ for me when I am absent, last night I read over
the proceedings before the magistrate and before the coroner. And of
course I saw your request for information about Ashton and his recent
movements."
"And you've some to give?" asked Mr. Pawle.
"I have some to give," assented Mr. Perkwite, as the three men sat down
by Mr. Pawle's desk. "Certainly--and I should say it's of considerable
importance.
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