CHAPTER Twenty-Nine THEODORE IS CALLED TO THE RESCUE.
AS Nella passed downstairs from the top storey with her father--the lifts had not yet begun to work--she drew him into her own room, and closed the door.
'What's this all about ?' he asked, somewhat mystified, and even alarmed by the extreme seriousness of her face.
'Dad,' the girl began, 'you are very rich, aren't you?
very, very rich ?' She smiled anxiously, timidly.

He did not remember to have seen that expression on her face before.

He wanted to make a facetious reply, but checked himself.
'Yes,' he said, 'I am.

You ought to know that by this time.' 'How soon could you realize a million pounds ?' 'A million--what ?' he cried.

Even he was staggered by her calm reference to this gigantic sum.