Dolores was very much surprised, and did not know whether she liked it or not, but she saw her aunt’s closed eyes and uplifted hands, and she tried to follow the example. The train stopped, and her uncle came to the door, looking inquiringly at her. ‘She will be good and brave,’ said her aunt; and quickly passing across the platform, Dolores found herself beside her aunt, with her uncle opposite in another fly. Things had been arranged for them considerately, and after they came to the Guildhall, where the city magistrates were sitting, Colonel Mohun went at once into court; the others were taken to a little room, and waited there a few minutes before Colonel Mohun came to call for his niece. It was a long room, with a rail at one end, and Dolores knew, with a strange thrill which made her shudder, that Mr. Flinders was there, but she could not bear to look at him, and only squeezed hard at the hand of her aunt, who asked, in a somewhat shaky voice, if she might come with her niece. ‘Certainly, certainly. Lady Merrifield,’ said one of the magistrates, and chairs were set both for her and Colonel Mohun. ‘You are Miss Mohun, I think--may I ask your Christian name in full?’ And then she had to spell it, and likewise tell her exact age, after which she was put on oath--as she knew enough of trials to expect. ‘Are you residing with Lady Merrifield?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘But your father is living?’ ‘Yes, but he is in the Fiji Islands.’ ‘Will you favour us with his exact name?’ ‘Maurice Devereux Mohun.’ ‘When did he leave England?’ ‘The fifth of last September.’ ‘Did he leave any money with you?’ ‘Yes.’ ‘In what form?’ ‘A cheque on W----‘s Bank. ‘To bearer or order?’ ‘To order.’ ‘What was the date?’ ‘I think it was the 31st of August, but I am not sure.’ ‘For how much?’ ‘For seven pounds.’ ‘When did you part with it?’ ‘On the Friday before Christmas Day.’ ‘Did you do anything to it first?’ ‘I wrote my name on the back.’ ‘What did you do with it.’ ‘I sent it to--’ her voice became a little hoarse, but she brought out the words--‘to Mr. Flinders.’ ‘Is this the same?’ ‘Yes--only some one has put ‘ty’ to the ‘seven’ in writing, and 0 to the figure 7.’ ‘Can you swear to the rest as your father’s writing and your own?’ The evidence of the banker’s clerk as to the cashing of the cheque had been already taken, and the magistrate said, ‘Thank you. Miss Mohun, I think the case is complete, and we need not trouble you any more.’ But the prisoner’s voice made Dolores start and shudder again, as he said, ‘I beg your pardon, sir, but you have not asked the young lady’--there was a sort of sneer in his voice--‘how she sent this draft.’ ‘Did not you send it direct by the post?’ demanded the magistrate. ‘No; I gave it to--’ Again she paused, and the words ‘Gave it to--?’ were authoritatively repeated, so that she had no choice. ‘I gave it to Miss Constance Hacket to send.’