Geoffrey laughed and held open the gate. Ruth was received by her old nurse with some stiffness, for Mrs. Jent had not yet forgiven the trick which had been played upon her. But the girl apologised so charmingly that the heart of the old dame was softened, and when she heard from Mr. Heron that Miss Cass was going to help him prove Mrs. Jenner's innocence and so restore Neil's peace of mind she became quite herself again. "Though I don't see, sir, how you are going to help Mrs. Jenner," she said. "She killed him sure enough; she killed him." "No, she didn't," Ruth said, decidedly. "I am certain she is innocent." "If she was, why didn't she say so?" Mrs. Jent asked. "That Mr. Heron is going to find out from her." "I shall ask her, of course," Heron said, in some confusion. Ruth's eyes were on him like a flash, and Ruth's eyes saw more than they were intended to see. "You know why she did not speak, Geoffrey?" "Yes, I do," he confessed, "but I cannot tell you why. Don't ask me." "Has it to do with Neil?" "Don't ask me," he repeated, with a frown. "I decline to tell you." Meanwhile Mrs. Jent had prepared the table, observing betweenwhiles that Neil still slept. Geoffrey had already been to see him, having seized the opportunity while Ruth and her old nurse were making up their tiff; and he reported that the invalid looked much better for the rest. He had brought with him a paper parcel. "Here is the horse, Ruth," he said. "The horse!" cried Mrs. Jent, who was pouring out the tea. "Is that my dear boy's horse--the one he wants to give to little Master Chisel?" "Yes, I should have sent it long ago, but now Miss Ruth will take it." "Don't you, miss, don't you!" said the old woman. "It will bring no good luck to the child. That was the toy with which my dear boy was playing when his father was murdered!" "Ugh!" exclaimed the girl, dropping the parcel with horror. "Ah, you may well say that." And Mrs. Jent nodded her head. "I don't know what possesses Mr. Neil to give it to Master George. It is true my dear boy loves it. But think of the history! He has forgotten it. He carried that toy with him when his poor mother ran away into the night. All through his illness he held to it, and when we took it away he cried so much that we had to give it back. The nasty thing!" finished Mrs. Jent with energy. "Throw it into the fire." "No, no," cried Geoffrey, picking it up. "Neil would never forgive us if we did that. I'll keep it here and not give it to George at all." "Give it to me," and Ruth took the parcel from him. "I won't let George have it, but I'll take it down with me to Hollyoaks." "What for?" asked Geoffrey, uneasily. "It has disagreeable associations." "For that very reason," said Ruth. "There is a clairvoyant near our place, a lady I know very well. If you put a thing into her hands she can tell you all about it."