The merchant became vehement. "I cannot say that!" he cried, dashing his fist on the table. "Because I don't know. I did suspect Marshall myself--on certain grounds; but I knew nothing of this bill--I could not fathom his motive. I was doubtful, and so I came to the conclusion that Mrs. Jenner was the guilty person. I would have told you all this before, Heron, but the honour of my family----"
"I hope to be one of the family myself, soon," Geoffrey said, quietly; "and you cannot suppose that I am less anxious than you are to avoid a scandal. I must know the truth now, at all costs."
"You shall know everything I can tell you. Oh, Heavens! If it should be so--if he should be guilty! I could never be sure--never; or I would have taken steps to get that unfortunate woman released; I did not want her to suffer. In some way--without incriminating Marshall--I would have managed it, if only I had been sure! But this bill--ah! that was his motive, and I never knew! He did not tell me that. As to Roper, I can assure you that this is the first time, to my knowledge, that I have heard his name."
"Yet he discounted the bill. It was in his office that Jenner was employed after he had failed on the stage."
"I took no interest in the man after I had dismissed him. I never even heard his employer's name. He stole the bill, I suppose--ah, yes, I begin to understand--and he came down here to blackmail Marshall. Quite so. Great Heavens! Can he be guilty, after all? I'll have the truth out of him at all costs."
"That is the difficult part of it," Geoffrey said, with a flush. "I can make Marshall speak out, but I dread his confession. By rights, we should give him up to the law--and yet the disgrace--the----"
"We must get at the truth first; afterwards we can decide how to get the woman released, and how to punish my wretched brother-in-law. Tell me what proof you have against him?"
Heron produced his pocket-book, and took therefrom the bill of exchange, which he gave to Mr. Cass. He started, as though a snake had stung him. "Forged?" he asked, placing his finger on the signature of Geoffrey Heron. Then on a nod from that young man, he added: "Did you find this among your father's papers? No; that is impossible. Jenner must have had it on the night he was murdered; yet if Marshall killed him to get possession of it, how came it into your hands?"
"Because Marshall lost the fruits of his wickedness he never gained possession of this bill. Jenner was too clever for him; it seems, as I learn from Mrs. Jenner, that she left him alone while she put her child to bed. During that time he--fearing, no doubt, lest Marshall should try and recover it--sewed it up in the body of a toy horse with which his boy had been playing. Neil sent the horse to George Chisel, your grandson, and he, as children will, cut up the animal. Miss Brawn saw this paper among the stuffing, and gave it to me."
"Does she know? Has she said----"