"I have come back—to the people and the place I belong to. You will not turn me out?" he said.
Hetty's eyes shone softly. "We have been waiting for you, Walter—we knew you would come. Still, I'm not sure you can ever get quite back to where you were before."
Ingleby saw her meaning, for he remembered the locket; and it seemed that Hetty knew what he was thinking, for a little colour crept into her face.
"Well," he said, "I will be patient, and try very hard."
Then he heard footsteps, and, going out, met Leger at the door. The latter turned and came down the trail with him.
"We are taking the trail to-morrow. Are you coming with us?" he said.
"Of course!" said Ingleby, looking at him in blank astonishment.
"In that case there is something to be said—and it is difficult, but Hetty is my sister, after all. Do you know who gave her that locket?"
"I did," said Ingleby, "a long while ago, but I never fancied that she had kept it. Tom, I do not know what your sister thinks of me, but she can't think more hardly of me than I do. Still, there may be one or two other colossal idiots of my description."
"It's quite likely," said Leger drily. "That, however, isn't very much to the point, is it?"