ennington could not fell an ox with
one blow of his arm, and you could get rid of us by the means you are
considering, it would be of no use. Think you we have come here without
precautions? I knew better than that."

Then I remembered that he had spoken to Eli Fraddam when I had sent him
away. I saw what he meant now, although at the time I wondered what he
had to say to the dwarf.

Then Richard Tresidder's mother rose to her feet, and came up close to
where we stood.

"Let me look at you, and see if you be John Penryn," she said, and he
stood still while the woman gazed steadily at him, as though she would
read the secrets of his heart.

Presently her eyes flashed as though she had come to a decision.

"There is no doubt, Richard," she said, "this is John Penryn. I remember
his face, I can recall his voice now. You must give up your ward, my
son. We have guarded her in many trying times, we have shielded her from
great danger. But now it is at an end. Of course there must be many
formalities to go through, but there need be no trouble, no publicity.
All our actions can be explained. All we have done has been for the
child's good. You are welcome, John, and Pennington must be your home
until your claim to Trevose is made good, as it will be, for we shall
raise no barriers."

This she said with many other things which I will not here write down.
She spoke pleasantly and plausibly, too, until for a moment I forgot who
she was, and thought her to be truly a lovable and motherly old lady.

But this was only for a moment, and I must confess I was not at all
pleased at the turn things were taking, especially as she seemed to
impress Mr. Penryn favourably.

"Where is my child now?" he asked eagerly.

"She is here, John; here in this very house. You shall see her anon. We
have been obliged to be careful for her, for she has had an enemy in
that man by your side. He, a penniless scoundrel, has dogged her
footsteps, and sought to ruin her life, and out of love for her we have
been obliged to take steps that may have seemed harsh, but which,
believe me, John, were for the good of the child whom we thought an
orphan, and wholly dependent on us."

"And who is this enemy?" asked Naomi's father.

"It is Jasper Pennington," she cried, "the man by your side, a cowardly
ruffian, a drunken swaggerer, and the companion of the vilest people in
the country. We have sought to save her from him, John Penryn; and now,
thank God,