'WELL, Father,' Nella greeted her astounded parent.

'You should make sure that you have got hold of the right person before you use all that terrible muscular force of yours.

I do believe you have broken my shoulder bone.' She rubbed her shoulder with a comical expression of pain, and then stood up before the two men.

The skirt of her dark grey dress was torn and dirty, and the usually trim Nella looked as though she had been shot down a canvas fire-escape.

Mechanically she smoothed her frock, and gave a straightening touch to her hair.
'Good evening, Miss Racksole,' said Felix Babylon, bowing formally.
'This is an unexpected pleasure.' Felix 's drawing-room manners never deserted him upon any occasion whatever.
'May I inquire what you are doing in my wine cellar, Nella Racksole ?' said the millionaire a little stiffly He was certainly somewhat annoyed at having mistaken his daughter for a criminal; moreover, he hated to be surprised, and upon this occasion he had been surprised beyond any ordinary surprise; lastly, he was not at all pleased that Nella should be observed in that strange predicament by a stranger.
'I will tell you,' said Nella.