"Precisely," answered the Captain leaning forward, "let me state the case. A gentleman comes on board at Melbourne, and conducts himself in a rational and sane manner, which puts the idea of suicide quite out of the question--just before we arrive at Malta he is restless and uneasy, and tells you the story of his life, which affords strong grounds for suspicion that his wife wanted to kill him--he goes on shore, spies his wife, and returns at once on board--he goes to bed before the ship sails, and the deck is crowded with all sorts and conditions of people, such a crowd that there's absolutely no chance of knowing any of them. He is found dead next morning, with an Italian stiletto in his breast, a weapon which a Maltese would probably use in preference to a knife. There is no evidence to show that anyone was seen near his cabin. Now your theory is that his wife came on board before the ship sailed, killed him, and escaped on shore in the confusion?"
"Yes; that is my theory, but only founded on the story he told me."
"Very good! We then find he told you that Ventin as not his real name. I search his boxes and papers, ad find no other name but Lionel Ventin, and yet he distinctly denied that that was his proper name?"
"He did--distinctly."
"I place all the facts and evidence in the hands of he authorities at Gibraltar, and they are equally mystified, with ourselves--they suggest that it might have been a lascar or a steward."
"Impossible! there was no motive."
"No robbery, certainly," answered Templeton; "but do you think there could have been any other motive?"
"How could there? With the exception of myself, he was very reserved with everyone else on board."
"Then we dismiss the steward and lascar theories; it must have been the wife. Now I have stated the case; how do you propose to unravel the mystery?"
"Ask me something easier," replied Ronald with laugh.