wkward," he said. "I had not anticipated anything like
this. How long will you have to stay here?"

"Well, it varies according to circumstances," the man explained. "It all
depends upon what action the plaintiffs take. If they give you an
extension of time I may be here for a month. Sometimes I have been in a
house much longer."

"A month," Sir George exclaimed, "impossible!"

"It may be less than that," the man said. "If they don't give you any
time at all I shall be gone in a week. In the ordinary course of things,
at the expiration of seven days the sheriff will come in and sell
everything."

"Seven days!" Sir George repeated the words over and over again, as if
he were trying to grasp their meaning. He had barely a week to find this
money, and, if it were not forthcoming, everything he had would be
disposed of. He would have to face the world without a penny. He
wondered if these people would take his horses. He wondered whether
their action would injure him in the Derby. But misfortunes never came
singly, and it was possible that the Blenheim colt might not start for
the historic race at all. For the moment everything lay in the hands of
Raymond Copley. Probably he had not the slightest idea that Absalom &
Co. had gone to these lengths. No doubt he would devise a way out of
this disgraceful situation. It was the only chance.

"If you wouldn't mind going away," Sir George said, "and coming back
later in the day, I will see what I can do."

The man smiled broadly.

"Bless you! I couldn't do that," he said. "It would be as much as my
place is worth. I might even get prosecuted, and I've a wife and family
to think of. I dare not stir a step from here, Sir George; indeed, I
dare not. If people treat me well I always try to give as little trouble
as possible, and as yet nobody knows who I am and why I came. I daresay
you can think of some excuse to account for my presence in the house."

It was very humiliating, but there was nothing for it but a mild
conspiracy between the master of Haredale and this grubby representative
of the majesty of the law. Sir George led the way into the library.

"You had better stay here," he said. "I can say you've come down from
London on some business in connexion with the stable. By the way, it is
just as well I should know your name. Oh, Brown, is it? Well, you had
better remain here till I come back, and I can arrange for you to have
your meals in the kitchen. I suppose you wo