ed bankrupt, and
Saunders is the sort of man who only uses his own name on the charge
sheet of a police court.'

'Do you know what a bucketshop is, Lucy?' asked Dick.

He did not wait for a reply, but explained that it was a term used to
describe a firm of outside brokers whose dealings were more or less
dishonest.

'The action is brought against the pair of them by a Mrs. Sabidon, who
accuses them of putting to their own uses various sums amounting
altogether to more than eight thousand pounds, which she intrusted to
them to invest.'

Now that the truth was out, Lucy quailed before it. The intense
seriousness on the faces of Alec and Dick Lomas, the piteous anxiety of
her cousin, terrified her.

'You don't think there's anything in it?' she asked quickly.

Robert did not know what to answer. Dick interrupted with wise advice.

'We'll hope for the best. The only thing to do is to go up to London at
once and get the best legal advice.'

But Lucy would not allow herself, even for a moment, to doubt her
father. Now that she thought of the matter, she saw that it was absurd.
She forced herself to give a laugh.

'I'm quite reassured. You don't think for a moment that father would
deliberately steal somebody else's money. And it's nothing short of
theft.'

'At all events it's something that we've been able to get him released
on bail. It will make it so much easier to arrange the defence.'

A couple of hours later Lucy, accompanied by Dick Lomas and Bobbie, was
on her way to London. Alec, thinking his presence would be a nuisance to
them, arranged with Mrs. Crowley to leave by a later train; and, when
the time came for him to start, his hostess suddenly announced that she
would go with him. With her party thus broken up and her house empty,
she could not bear to remain at Court Leys. She was anxious about Lucy
and eager to be at hand if her help were needed.

* * *

A telegram had been sent to George, and it was supposed that he would
arrive at Lady Kelsey's during the evening. Lucy wanted to tell him
herself what had happened. But she could not wait till then to see her
father, and persuaded Dick to drive with her from the station to
Shaftesbury Avenue. Fred Allerton was not in. Lucy wanted to go into the
flat and stay there till he came, but the porter had no key and did not
know when he would return. Dick was much relieved. He was afraid that
the excitement and the anxiety from which Fred Allerton had suff