"He is Mr. Cecil Perkwite, of the Middle Temple--a member of my own
profession."
But the magistrate, who appeared unusually thoughtful, shook his head.
"After what we have heard," he said, "I think we had better adjourn. The
prisoner will be remanded--as before--for another week."
When the magistrate had left the bench, and the court was humming with
the murmur of tongues suddenly let free, Mr. Pawle forced his way to the
side of the last witness.
"Whoever you are, sir," he said, "there's one thing certain--nobody but
you can supply the solution of the mystery about Ashton's death! Come
with me and Carless at once."
CHAPTER XXIV
THE BROKEN LETTER
The man whose extraordinary story had excited such intense interest had
become the object of universal attention. Hyde, hitherto the centre of
attraction, was already forgotten, and instead of people going away from
the court to canvass his guilt or his innocence, they surged round the
witness whose testimony, strange and unexpected, had so altered the
probabilities of the case. It was with difficulty that Methley got his
client away into a private room; there they were joined by Mr.
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