"
CHAPTER XXIII
IS THIS MAN RIGHT?
A murmur of astonishment ran through the court as the witness made
his last reply, and those most closely interested in him turned and
looked at each other with obvious amazement. And for a moment Mr.
Millington-Bywater seemed to be at a loss; in the next he bent forward
toward the witness-box and fixed the man standing there with a
piercing look.
"Do you seriously tell us, on your oath, that these papers--your papers,
if you are what you claim to be--were stolen from you many years ago, and
have only just been restored to you?" he asked. "On your oath, mind!"
"I do tell you so," answered the witness quietly. "I am on oath."
The magistrate glanced at Mr. Millington-Bywater.
"What is the relevancy of this--in relation to the prisoner and the
charge against him?" he inquired. "You have some point, of course?"
"The relevancy is this, Your Worship," replied Mr. Millington-Bywater:
"Our contention is that the papers referred to were until recently in the
custody of John Ashton, the murdered man--I can put a witness in the box
who can give absolute proof of that, a highly reputable witness, who is
present,--and that John Ashton was certainly murdered by some person or
persons who, for purposes of their own, wished to gain possession of
them.
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