You say you've never seen him for thirty years, or more?
But have you never heard of him ?" She nodded her head with decision at that question.
"Yes," she replied, "I have heard of him--just once.

There was a man, a neighbour of ours, came home from Central America, maybe five years ago, and he told us he'd seen our James out there, and that he was working as a sub-contractor, or something of that sort, on that Panama Canal there was so much talk about in them days." Mr.Lindsey and I looked at each other.

Panama!--that was the password which James Gilverthwaite had given me.

So--here, at any rate, was something, however little, that had the makings of a clue in it.
"Aye!" he said, "Panama, now?
He was there?
And that's the last you ever heard ?" "That's the very last we ever heard, sir," she answered.

"Till, of course, we saw these pieces in the papers this last day or two." Mr.Lindsey twisted round on her with a sharp look.
"Do you know aught of that man, John Phillips, whose name's in the papers too ?" he asked.
"No, sir, nothing!" she replied promptly.