The colour faded from Ruth’s cheeks. It was as she feared, then. Marston must be mixed up with very bad company indeed if he and old Heckett had business together.
She questioned Gertie eagerly, and ascertained that Marston had been once or twice, and that he always talked in a low tone with her grandfather. She had heard something once about some gold and thousands of pounds, so she supposed it was very important business.
Gertie’s head was full of other things, however, besides Marston, and she soon left him to chatter about Lion, and the parrot, and the animals, and her lessons, and all the old topics in which Ruth had once taken so much interest.
Ruth let her prattle on, but her thoughts were far away. She seemed as though she were thinking out some plan of action.
Suddenly she stopped Gertie in the middle of a long aneedote about Lion and a cat, and said in a serious voice,—
‘Gertie, will you do me a very great service?’
‘Oh, yes, Miss Adrian, anything.’
‘Listen, then. If ever this gentleman who comes here to see your grandfather should, to your knowledge, be in any danger or ill, or if you should hear anything about him that makes you think he wants a friend, will you let me know?’
Gertie said certainly she would.
‘Don’t tell any one I have asked you this, Gertie.’