ould not
look at Lucy, but the others, full of sympathy, kept their eyes upon
her. Mrs. Crowley wondered why she did not faint. It seemed to Lucy
that an icy hand clutched her heart so that the blood was squeezed out
of it. She made a determined effort to keep her clearness of mind.

'It's impossible,' she said at last, quietly.

'He was arrested last night, and brought up at Bow Street Police Court
this morning. He was remanded for a week.'

Lucy felt the tears well up to her eyes, but with all her strength she
forced them back. She collected her thoughts.

'It was very good of you to come down and tell me,' she said to Boulger
gently.

'The magistrate agreed to accept bail in five thousand pounds. Aunt
Alice and I have managed it between us.'

'Is he staying with Aunt Alice now?'

'No, he wouldn't do that. He's gone to his flat in Shaftesbury Avenue.'

Lucy's thoughts went to the lad who was dearest to her in the world, and
her heart sank.

'Does George know?'

'Not yet.'

Dick saw the relief that came into her face, and thought he divined what
was in her mind.

'But he must be told at once,' he said. 'He's sure to see something
about it in the papers. We had better wire to him to come to London
immediately.'

'Surely father could have shown in two minutes that the whole thing was
a mistake.'

Bobbie made a hopeless gesture. He saw the sternness of her eyes, and he
had not the heart to tell her the truth. Mrs. Crowley began to cry.

'You don't understand, Lucy,' said Dick. 'I'm afraid it's a very serious
charge. Your father will be committed for trial.'

'You know just as well as I do that father can't have done anything
illegal. He's weak and rash, but he's no more than that. He would as
soon think of doing anything wrong as of flying to the moon. If in his
ignorance of business he's committed some technical offence, he can
easily show that it was unintentional.'

'Whatever it is, he'll have to stand his trial at the Old Bailey,'
answered Dick gravely.

He saw that Lucy did not for a moment appreciate the gravity of her
father's position. After the first shock of dismay she was disposed to
think that there could be nothing in it. Robert Boulger saw there was
nothing for it but to tell her everything.

'Your father and a man called Saunders have been running a bucketshop
under the name of Vernon and Lawford. They were obliged to trade under
different names, because Uncle Fred is an undischarg