' There was no
signature."
Another murmur of intense and excited interest ran round the court as the
witness handed the letter up to the magistrate, who, after looking it
over, passed it on to the counsel below. They, in their turn, showed it
to Mr. Carless, Mr. Pawle and Lord Ellingham, Mr. Pawle, showing it to
Viner, whispered in his ear:
"If this man's telling the truth," he said, "this is the most
extraordinary story I ever heard in my life."
"It seems to me that it is the truth!" muttered Viner. "And I'm pretty
certain that at last we're on the way-to finding out who killed Ashton.
But let's hear the end."
Mr. Millington-Bywater handed the letter back with a polite bow--it was
very obvious to more than one observer that he had by this time quite
accepted the witness as what he claimed to be.
"You kept the appointment?" he asked.
"I did, indeed!" exclaimed the witness. "As much out of greatly excited
curiosity as anything! It seemed to me a most extraordinary thing that
papers stolen from me in Australia thirty-two years ago should be
returned to me in London! Yes, I walked down to the Speke Monument.
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