As Marlow had foreseen the biggest men at the criminal bar had been retained for the prisoners. But the first hearing at the police court was purely a formal affair, and Labar betook himself to the Home Office to consult with the Public Prosecutor, whose cold trained legal brain had already got a plan of campaign mapped out. The Solicitor-General was to lead for the prosecution, and every legal resource at the disposal of the Government was to be put at his disposition. For only one person did Labar put in a plea for such leniency as could be afforded. That was Sophie Lengholm. "H'm." The Public Prosecutor frowned. "She's in the same class as several of the others. We might tell the judge she saved your life. Is there anything up against her besides the present case?" He rummaged among his papers. "I have nothing here." "I know of no other charge which we have any chance of substantiating," declared Labar. "Then leave it as it is. We'll do what we can." * * * * * The weeks passed with long, drawn-out hearings at the police court, and the preliminary skirmishes of counsel. Almost every other day Labar found the tangle which he was unravelling lead to the arrest of someone or the other of the criminals who formed the aristocracy of crookdom in the metropolis. Even he was surprised at the ramifications of Larry's interests. As a receiver on a wholesale scale Larry seemed to have dealt directly or indirectly with half the rogues in London. As is the way in these matters one thing led to another. The unearthing of a small receiver who was in the habit of passing on his biggest loot to Larry Hughes, would bring about the discovery of a nest of smaller crooks who had scarcely heard of Larry. "There'll be no work left for the C.I.D. if things go on like this," lamented Winter. Labar had forgotten about golf although his handicap would be seriously in danger. There were other things for him, which circumstances would not allow him to neglect. He was no longer driving a machine; he was part of a machine and willy-nilly he had to go forward. It must not be supposed that he did not have his occasional hours of leisure. Penelope, however, had a mortgage upon these, and she did not play golf, although she promised at a later stage to take it up. "You see you're constitutionally a lazy man, Harry," she explained. "I can't allow you to have any other interests but your work--and myself. You'll soon have a wife to support." "That's a point," he agreed. "But I'm not so sure that I want to marry you after all. You see----" She looked at him with perturbed eyes and pouting lips. "If----" she began. "I saw poor old Gertstein's solicitors to-day," he interrupted. "They know how things stand between you and me, and they confided something to me. It may make a difference." "How?"