"Of course it was," put in Mrs. Chisel, with superior wisdom. "And she is taking my advice, papa, about Mr. Heron." "Is this true, Ruth?" "Well, it may be," she said, hesitatingly. "I like him much better than I did. Have you heard anything of Mr. Webster, papa?" For she was anxious to hear if her father knew that Neil was at Bognor. "No, nothing. I believe he is abroad, and I sincerely hope that he will stay there. Marry Heron, my dear Ruth, and forget all about him." Ruth found it impossible to say more then, but determined to wait until her sister had retired for the night before seeking speech with her father. Mr. Cass was pleasantly surprised when Ruth came into the library about ten o'clock. As a rule he saw her only for an hour in the drawing-room after dinner. He had quite expected that the two sisters would be chatting in their own rooms by this time. "Well, my dear," he said, gaily, "have you come to give your old father some of your company? I suppose this is to make up for my absence." "Yes," she said, as gaily as she could. "You have been away so long, and I do see very little of you, papa. I want to see as much of you as possible." "Until you leave me for Heron," he said, patting her hand. "Seriously, my dear, I hope you will marry him. He is a good fellow, and will make the best of husbands for my Ruth." "He wants me to be his wife," Ruth said, gloomily enough. "I have not decided yet; I may or may not marry him. But you can set your mind at rest about Neil Webster, papa. I would not marry him if there was not another man in the world." Something in her voice struck Mr. Cass unpleasantly and he looked sharply at her. "Why not?" he demanded. She returned his look boldly. "Because I know now why you did not wish me to be his wife," she said. He lifted his eyebrows. "Woman's curiosity again," he said, harshly. "What do you know?" "I know that his real name is Jenner, and that his mother----" "Stop!" cried her father, his face growing haggard before her eyes. "Who told you this nonsense?" "It is not nonsense," she cried in despair. "Oh, why will you not trust me? I know that it is true. Mrs. Jent told me." "Oh! Then that was why you went to Brighton?" "Yes. I was quite determined to find out why you forbade the marriage." "I see," he said, ironically. "Well, are you any the happier for this discovery?" She hid her face with a cry. "Heaven knows I am the most unhappy girl in the world!" she moaned. "Ah!" said her father, a word of meaning in his voice. "So you do love the man after all?" "No; but--never mind. Tell me, papa, is it true?" "Yes. You know so much now that you may as well know more. Mrs. Jenner murdered her husband and has suffered imprisonment all these years." "She did not murder him!" cried Ruth. Mr. Cass, who was swinging the poker in his hands, dropped it with a crash. "Ah! and how do you know that she did not?" he asked in a stifled voice. "Because Geoffrey says----"