"Do you mean that Mr. Ashton called on Lord Ellingham, or what?" "No, sir, because Lord Ellingham wasn't there--he scarcely ever is there," replied Lucy Summers. "I mean that Mr. Ashton went into the park a good deal and looked over the house--a good many people come to see Ellingham Park, sir." "Well, and what else?" asked Mr. Pawle. "Did he go to see people in the town at all?" "I don't know, sir--but he was out most of the day. And at night he talked a great deal with my grandmother, in her sitting-room, I think," added the girl with a glance which took in both listeners. "I think that's what she wants to tell about. She would have come here herself, but she's over seventy and doesn't like travelling." Mr. Pawle turned to Viner. "Now we know where we are," he said. "There's no doubt that this is our Ashton, and that Mrs. Summers has something she can tell about him. Viner, I suggest that you and I go down to Marketstoke this afternoon. You've accommodations for a couple of gentlemen, I suppose, my dear?" he added, turning to the girl. "Couple of nice bedrooms and a bit of dinner, eh?" "Oh, yes sir!" replied Lucy Summers. "We constantly have gentlemen there, sir." "Very well," said Mr. Pawle. "Now, then, you run away home to Marketstoke, my dear, and tell your grandmother that I'm very much obliged to her, and that I am coming down this evening, with this gentleman, Mr. Viner, and that we shall be obliged if she'll have a nice, plain, well-cooked dinner ready for us at half-past seven. We shall come in my motorcar--you can put that up for the night, and my driver too? Very well--that's settled. Now, come along, and one of my clerks shall get you a cab to your station. Great Central, isn't it? All right--mind you get yourself a cup of tea before going home." "Viner," Pawle continued when he had taken the girl into the outer office, "we can easily run down to Marketstoke in under two hours. I'll call for you at your house at half-past five. That'll give us time to wash away the dirt before our dinner. And then--we'll hear what this old lady has to tell." Viner, who was musing somewhat vaguely over these curious developments, looked at Mr. Pawle as if in speculation about his evident optimism. "You think we shall hear something worth hearing?" he asked. "I should say we probably shall," replied Mr. Pawle. "Put things together. Ashton goes away--as soon as he's got settled down in Markendale Square--on a somewhat mysterious journey. Now we hear that he had a secret. Perhaps something relating to that secret is mixed up with his visit to Marketstoke. Depend upon it, an old woman of over seventy--especially a landlady of a country-town inn, whose wits are presumably pretty sharp--wouldn't send for me unless she'd something to tell. Before midnight, my dear sir, we may have learnt a good deal." Viner picked up his hat.