"He stopped Jake from coming here," Clare rejoined with a blush.
"That is so," Ida agreed. "He has done a number of other things that got
him into difficulties, because he thought it right. That's the kind of
man he is. Then I understand he was out of work and feeling desperate
when my father engaged him, he got promotion in his employment, and I
asked him to see that Jake came to no harm. I don't know if he kept his
promise too conscientiously, and you can judge better than me. But I
think you ought to read the letters your father gave him."
She first put down Kenwardine's statement about the theft of the plans,
and Clare was conscious of overwhelming relief as she read it. Dick knew
now that she was not the thief. Then Ida said: "If you will read the
next, you will see that your father doesn't feel much of a grievance
against Brandon."
The note was short, but Kenwardine stated clearly that if Clare wished to
marry Brandon he would be satisfied and advised her to do so. The girl's
face flushed as she read and her hands trembled. Kenwardine certainly
seemed to bear Dick no ill will. But since the latter had his formal
consent, why had he not used it?
"Did Mr. Brandon send you with these letters?" she asked as calmly as she
could.
"No, I brought them without telling him, because it seemed the best thing
to do."
"You knew what they said?"
"I did," Ida admitted. "They were open."
Clare noted her confession; but she must deal with matters of much
greater importance.
"Then do you know why he kept the letters back?"
Ida hesitated. If Clare were not the girl she thought, she might, by
appealing to her compassion, supply her with a reason for giving Dick up,
but if this happened, it would be to his advantage in the end. Still she
did not think she was mistaken and she must take the risk.
"Yes," she said. "I feel that you ought to understand his reasons; that
is really why I came. It looks as if you had not heard that shortly after
he met your father Dick fell down the steamer's hold."
Clare made an abrupt movement and her face got anxious. "Was he hurt?"
"Very badly. He broke two ribs and the fever he got soon afterwards
stopped his getting better; but that is not the worst. One of his eyes
was injured, and there is some danger that he may lose his sight."
It was plain that Clare had got a shock, for she sat in a tense attitude
and the color left her face; but Ida saw that she had read her character
right and taken the proper course. Indeed, she wondered whether she had
not unnecessarily harrowed the girl's feelings.