Carless' finger
pointing to one particular passage or another during their hasty perusal,
and he and Mr. Pawle nodding assent as they exchanged glances and
muttered remarks.
"Not a doubt of it!" exclaimed Mr. Carless suddenly. "Not one doubt!
Observe the extraordinary care which the missing Lord Marketstoke took to
safeguard his own interests and those of his daughter, in case he ever
wished to revive his claims. Here, for instance is his marriage
certificate. You see, he took good care to be married in his own real,
proper, legal name! Here, again, is the birth certificate of his
daughter. You see how she is described--Avice Wickham Cave-Gray, daughter
of, et cetera, et cetera. And here is his death certificate--that too is
all in order. You see, all these are duly attested copies--we could, of
course, insist on having them verified over there, but I've no doubt
about their genuineness--what do you say, Pawle?"
"I should say there's no doubt whatever," answered Mr. Pawle readily.
"But now, this memorandum, evidently written by Ashton himself, in
London, soon after he got here?"
Mr. Carless ran his eye over the document which Mr.
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