The last words of Lady Wyke, taken in conjunction with the last words of her father before he paid his visit to Sandal, alarmed Claudia exceedingly.

The high-spirited girl spent a miserable time alone before her father appeared on the scene. She employed a few minutes in wiring to Craver, saying that she wished him to call. In one way or another Claudia determined to have an explanation, so that she might know where she was. At present she did not.

Mr. Lemby made his appearance shortly before seven o'clock, and seemed to be in very good spirits. He asked for his dinner, declared that he felt better, and treated himself to a sherry and bitters so as to give zest to his meal. Then, the dinner having been cleared away, the two sat down to talk. Claudia began abruptly.

"Lady Wyke was here this afternoon," she said, hurling the bombshell at her father in the hope of startling him.

She failed to do so. "Yes, I know," he said, coolly. "I was wondering when you would tell me about the matter."

"I waited for you to speak first," said Claudia, rather annoyed. "You should have explained things to me long ago."

"I didn't think it was necessary," protested the pirate.

"Not necessary? Why, dad. Sir Hector wanted to marry me while he had a wife living, and for that reason postponed our marriage."

"I know, confound you," growled Lemby. "But Wyke didn't know that his wife was alive. If he had he would not have proposed to you. I suppose she told you all about the dashed thing?"

"She explained much, but not all. I think you might speak, dad."

"Oh, I don't mind," rejoined the old man, good-humouredly, and then and there related the past of the dead man. He stated how Lady Wyke had been the actress Maisie Chain, and how Sandal had witnessed the ill-omened wedding. Then he told Claudia about the separation, the journey to America, the presumed death in the fire at the Chicago theatre, and finally described how Lady Wyke had learnt her husband's determination to marry again. "So she came over to prevent that," he concluded, "and so completely knocked the old man off his perch that he ran away to hide from her at Hedgerton."

"What did he intend to do?" asked Claudia, after she had digested the story. Lemby shrugged his shoulders. "Ask me another, my girl? I don't know. Whether he intended to lie low until he could get rid of her and marry you, or whether he intended to stick to her and chuck you I can't say. Seeing that she's a bit of a tartar, I guess he wanted to divorce her if possible."

"Could he have done so?"

"Lady Wyke says he couldn't, as she has always kept herself respectable."

"I don't think that Sir Hector was to blame," said Claudia, after a pause "except in not telling me and you before he went to Hedgerton."

"I should have squeezed the explanation out of him when I paid him that visit, my girl, if he hadn't gone to see the man who killed him."

"Do you know the girl who killed him?" asked the girl in a low voice.

"No, I don't," denied the pirate, roundly, but looking uneasy, "and I wish you'd stop harping on that dashed murder, Claudia. Wyke's dead and buried, and his widow has got the cash, so let the whole shoot slide."

"How can I when you hinted that you were mixed up in the matter?"

"Oh, I only said that to get you to come to Australia with me," said her father, rising with a yawn and stretching himself lazily.

"But Lady Wyke says the same thing."

Lemby dropped his arms and his mouth shut like a steel trap. "Tell me what that dashed woman said."

Claudia repeated Lady Wyke's last words verbatim. "And she said that, although the truth was known to her, it need not be known to others if----"

"If what; if what? Don't stop," rapped out the buccaneer, sharply.

"If I refused to marry Edwin."

"Oh!" Lemby's black eyes grew larger and rounder. "Why did she say that? She doesn't know Craver."

"Yes, she does. She saw him at the factory and at Hendon."

"What was she doing at Hendon?"

"Flying," said Claudia, curtly.

"You don't say so. I never thought he'd have the pluck to go up in an aeroplane, my girl. I wish he'd break his dashed neck."

"How dare you say that, dad! Edwin is the bravest man in the world, and if he broke his neck I should die. I love him. I love him and she shall never, never take him from me."

"She. Who?"

"Lady Wyke. She has fallen in love with Edwin."

Lemby's face grew evil and lowering. "Then I again say that I wish he'd break his dashed neck," he cried with an oath. "Confound the fellow, he comes up against me at every turn. First, he tried to spoil my plans with regard to your marriage with Wyke, and now he is my rival."

"Your rival?" Claudia looked puzzled.

"Yes, hang him. I can't get the money for you by will, as everything has been left to that woman. So I've got an idea that she might marry me."

"Marry you?" Claudia started up from the chair she was seated in. "I hope you won't be so silly as to marry at your age."

"Don't be insolent, my girl," retorted Lemby, for his vanity was hurt. "I'm by no means an old man. There's many a kick left in me yet. Why shouldn't I marry Lady Wyke? She isn't bad-looking, and has the five thousand a year we want so badly."

"I don't want it!" cried Claudia, vehemently? "I wouldn't take a penny of it, dad. She's a horrid and dangerous woman. I object to having her for a stepmother, There!" and she stamped after her usual fashion.

"Well, then," snarled Lemby, crossly, "you can prevent my having my own way by letting her marry Craver, since it seems he is in love with her."

"He isn't in love with her. I never said so. She is in love with him. As to letting her marry him, she shan't! You are cruel to suggest such a thing."

Lemby clutched his head. "Dash it, things are so crooked that I must straighten them out somehow by suggesting," he said, angrily. "And if this young jackaroo is trying to spoil my plans again, I'll make it hot for him. Upon my word, Claudia, I think it best that you should marry the fellow, so that I may be able to make Lady Wyke my wife and collar the dibs."

"She won't have you, dad."

"Oh, yes, she w............