She shrugged her shoulders and spread out her hands.

“It is so difficile.  I am trying to remember, and the matter seemed then so trivial!  But there is no reason to doubt my uncle, Mr. Headland, for he loves Nigel dearly, and if there was any way in which he could help to unravel this so terrible plot against him—­Oh!  I am sure he must have told me so, sure!  There would be no point in his telling an untruth over that.”

“And yet you can not recall the actual remark that your uncle made, Miss Brellier?”

“No.  But I am sure, sure that what he said was true.”

Cleek shrugged his shoulders.

“Then, of course, you must know best.  Well, we must try and find some other loophole.  I promised Merriton I’d speak a few words to you, Miss Brellier, just to tell you to keep up heart—­though it’s a difficult task.  But everything that can be done, will be done.  And—­if you should happen to hear that I have thrown up the case, and gone back to London, don’t be a bit surprised.  There are other ways, other means of helping than the average person dreams of.  Don’t mention anything I have said to you to anybody.  Keep you own counsel, please, and as a token of my regard for that I will give you my word that everything that can be done for Merriton will be.  Good-bye.”

He put out his hand and she laid her slim one in it.  For a moment her eyes measured him, scanning his face as though to trace therein anything of treachery to the cause which she held so dear.  Then her face broke into a wintry smile.

“I have a feeling, Mr. Headland,” she said softly, “that you are going to be a good friend to us, Nigel and me.  It is a woman’s intuition that tells me, and it helps me to bear the too dreadful suspense under which we are all now labouring.  You have my word of honour never to speak of this talk together, and to keep a guard on my tongue for the future, if it is to help Nigel.  You will let me know how things go on, Mr. Headland?”

“That I cannot for the present tell.  It will depend entirely upon how events shape themselves, Miss Brellier.  You may hear soon—­you may not hear at all.  But I believe in his innocence as deeply as you do.  Therefore you must be content that I shall do my best, whatever happens.  Good-bye.”

He gave her fingers a soft squeeze, held them a moment and then, dropping them, bowed and swung upon his heel to join Mr. Narkom, who was standing near by, the last of the group of interested spectators of that afternoon’s ghastly business.  Dollops stood a little back from them, awaiting his orders.