"He did; but I would have prosecuted myself, and would have called your father as a witness. Well, I came back after that visit, and placed the bill in my safe then I told my housekeeper all about it: Jenner must have listened. Shortly afterwards he disappeared; I made a search to see if he had taken anything. Then I found that the bill had gone--that Marshall had escaped me! I managed to set the police on Jenner's track, and he was arrested. I offered not to prosecute if he would give me back the bill: but he refused. Then I prosecuted him for stealing my money, and he got three years. When he came out, I believe he went down to the country to see his wife; and she murdered him. What became of the bill, I never could discover. He must have destroyed it."
"It is possible," said Heron. "I suppose that the bill was valuable to Marshall as well as to you! No doubt he paid Jenner to destroy it."
"Or else he murdered Jenner to obtain possession of it," the old man said, gloomily. "But, no! Mrs. Jenner killed him I was at the trial; I heard all the evidence nothing could have been clearer or fairer. She killed her husband. Now. I wonder if she could have taken possession of that bill! No, I don't think so; it would have been found on her when she was arrested. I believe Marshall must have bribed Jenner to destroy it; more's the pity. I'll never get at him now, the beast!"
Geoffrey rose to go. "Well," he said, "I have learnt something; but I hardly know if it will be of much assistance to me."
"What are you going to do?" Roper asked.
"Satisfy my conscience. Listen, Mr. Roper; in my father's diary I found a full account of your visit and the truth about the forgery. I was anxious to know all--therefore, I came to you. Now I am satisfied. So far as I am concerned, the matter shall rest where it is."
"Then you won't help me to crush Marshall? Will nothing deliver him into my hands?" he muttered. "I'll make a last effort; he must be punished for Elsa's sake."
[CHAPTER XIX.]
JOB BECOMES CIVILISED.
Again and again did Miss Cass wish that she could tell Jennie Brawn the story of the broken link and her position with regard to her father. But she had given her promise, and was forced to hold her tongue. On her part Jennie, always open and honest, felt a trifle embarrassed at the secret understanding with Geoffrey Heron regarding the bill of exchange, it seemed to her too delicate perception to be wrong; for was not the young man her friend's lover? But, like Ruth herself, Jennie had given a promise which could not be broken, and she, too, had to hold her peace. Under these circumstances, both girls were less open with each other than usual, and on this account did not seek one another, as was formerly the case. Jennie made her teaching serve as an excuse; and Ruth took to wandering about the country in the society of her own sad thoughts.