Julius Charnock
to be used as evidence;" and I suppose he saw us sign it, if he
could see at all, for his sight was nearly gone."
Julius drew a long breath.
"And now, what was it?" said Herbert.
"Well, the trio--Moy, young Proudfoot, and Tom Vivian--detained a
letter of my mother's, with a cheque in it, and threw the blame of
it on Archie Douglas. They thought no one was in the office but
themselves; but Gadley was a clerk there, and was in the outer room,
where he heard all. He came to Moy afterwards, and has been preying
on him for hush-money ever since."
"And this will set things straight?"
"Yes. How to set about the public justification I do not yet see;
but with your father, and all the rest, Archie's innocence will be
as plain as it always has been to us."
"Where is he?"
"On an ostrich farm at Natal."
"Whew!--we must have him home. Jenny can't be spared. Poor Jenny,
when she hears that, it will make all other things light to her."
"What is their address?"
"No, don't write. Mamma has had a fresh cold, and neither my father
nor Jenny could leave her.
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