"Yes!" he returned. "I must needs think so."
"Why?"
"I saw them marching up the drive, and Mr."—he paused over the name—"Mr. Ashlock was with them."
"Ashlock?" I exclaimed with a start, for in the press of trouble which these last twelve hours had brought, I had clean forgotten the man.
"Hush!" replied Aron.
"Oh, why keep up the lie?" I answered savagely. "Call him Jervas Rookley and have done with it. He came with King George's soldiers, did he? Aron, or Ashlock, I take it, I should call you, when next Mr. Jervas Rookley makes up his accounts for me, he shall make them up with his own hand, I promise you that."
The old man shook his head very sadly.
"I fear me," he agreed, "that Mr. Jervas is for something in all this."
"For more than you know," I replied, "and indeed for more than I know too as yet."
Of a sudden I remembered that evening when I had seen Jervas Rookley enter through the parlour window.