Let him. come now—he was ready.
He saw it all.
When the Bon Espoir was sinking, Egerton, with the terrors of death upon him, had hurled this into the sea; it had floated about for years, to be cast ashore now—now, when such a revelation placed the murderer at the mercy of the man he would injure.
Marston’s suspicions were confirmed. He had always suspected that Ralph Egerton had met with foul play.
He could hardly believe that the paper he held in his hand was real—that he was not the victim of some nightmare, from which he would presently awake.
While he sat staring at the paper, and reading it again and again, there came a ring at the bell.
Marston folded the paper and threw it back in its place.
The next moment Gurth Egerton came into the room.
The servant had told him a gentleman wanted to see him.
He started violently when he saw Marston.