'I advised him to come,' she said, with all the air of a grown woman,
'and I said I'd stand by him, and I will, forever and ever, amen!'
The words dropped from her lips the more maturely, perhaps, because she
had used them once before with reference to the humiliated boy, to whose
pale, set face there came a smile as he heard them again, and stretching
out his hand he laid it on Jerry's curly head with a caressing motion
which told plainer than words could have done of his affection for and
trust in her.
What more Jerry might have said was prevented by the appearance of a new
actor upon the scene in the person of Arthur himself. He had borne the
noise and confusion as long as he could, and then had rung for Charles
to enquire what it meant. But Charles was too much absorbed with other
matters to heed the bell, though it rang three times sharply and loudly.
At last, as no one came, and the bustle outside grew louder, and Jerry's
voice was distinctly heard, excited and angry, Arthur started to see for
himself what had happened.
'Oh, Mr. Arthur,' Jerry cried, as she caught sight of him coming down
the hall, 'I was just going after you, to come and turn Tom out of
doors, and everybody else who says that Harold took Mrs. Tracy's
diamonds.
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