But he did not finish his threat. Instead, his jaws
clamped shut on mid-word. In silence he turned and got into the car to
which his counselor had already withdrawn.

The car leaped forward into a rose bush. With a savage twist of the
wheel the driver brought it back to the drive, leaving deep prints in
the front lawn. Then it was gone, down the drive, as they stood staring
after it.

"So that's that," Val commented. "Well, all I've got to say is that
Rick's branch of the family has sadly gone to seed--"

"Being a southern gentleman has made you slightly snobbish." Ricky came
out from her lurking place behind the door.

"Snobbish!" her brother choked at the injustice. "I suppose that that is
your idea of a perfect gentleman, a diamond in the rough--"

He pointed down the drive.

Ricky laughed. "It's so easy to tease you, Val. Of course he is a--a
wart of the first class. But Rupert will fix him--won't you?"

Her older brother grinned. "After that example of your trust in me, I'll
have to. I agree, he is not the sort you would care to introduce to your
more particular friends. But this visit seems to suggest something--"

"That he has the wind up?" Val asked.

"There are indications of that, I think. Something LeFleur has done has
stirred our friends into direct action. We shall probably have more of
it within the immediate future. So I want you, Ricky, to go to town.
Madame LeFleur has very kindly offered to put you up--"

Each tiny curl on Ricky's head seemed to bristle with indignation. "Oh,
no you don't, Rupert Ralestone! You don't get me away from here when
there are exciting things going on. I hardly think that our friend with
the slimy manner will use machine-guns to blast us out. And if he
does--well, it wouldn't be the first time that this house was used as a
fortress. I'm not going one step out of here unless you two come with
me."

Rupert shrugged. "As I can't very well hog-tie you to get you to town, I
suppose you will have to stay. But I _am_ going to send for Lucy." With
that parting shot he turned and went in.

Lucy arrived shortly before noon. She was accompanied by a portion of
her large family--four, Val counted, including that Sam who had become
Ricky's faithful shadow.

"What's all dis Ah heah 'bout some mans sayin' he am de Ralestone?" she
demanded of Ricky. "De policemans oughta lock him up. Effen he comes
botherin' 'roun' heah agin I'll ten' to him!"

With that she marched majestic