Gertie knew what her grandfather meant. She opened the Bible to search for the passage, and as she did so a paper fluttered down upon the floor.
George picked it up and read it.
‘Why,’ he exclaimed, ‘it’s a marriage certificate!’
‘A what?’ shouted Heckett, rising in the bed with new-found strength—‘a what in my gal’s Bible?’
‘It is the marriage certificate of Ralph Egerton and Gertrude Heckett.’
‘God of heaven!’ cried the old burglar, clasping his hands; ‘my gal was a honest gal arter all! His wife! his wife! My gal—my gal! why didn’t I look in your Bible afore?’
In his wild excitement the old man had started up, and was clutching fiercely at the pillows; his face was crimson and his sunken eyes were starting from his head.
His hand was stretched eagerly towards Gertie, as though asking her to give him the Bible. As Gertie held it out he clutched it, pressed it to his lips, and then, with a little cry, fell heavily back upon the pillows, while the life-blood welled from his mouth. The sudden exertion had completed the long work of disease. Josh Heckett had burst a blood-vessel, and was bleeding to death.
Late that evening a cab rattled up to the door of Josh Heckett’s house, and Mr Duck and a strange gentleman got out.