‘Dead against us.’
Frank tried to look as if he didn’t mind.
‘Let me see it.’
It was a long blue document with the heading, ‘The Hotspur Insurance Company, Limited, v. Frank Crosse.’
‘I have perused the case submitted to me, and the papers accompanying the same,’ said the learned counsel, ‘and in my opinion the Hotspur Insurance Company, Limited, are entitled to recover from Mr. Crosse under his guarantee, the sum of £340, being monies received by Mr. Farintosh, and not paid over by him to the said Company.’ There was a great deal more, but it was anticlimax.
‘Well, what shall we do?’ asked Frank helplessly. The British law makes one feel so.
‘Well, I should stand out, if I were you. There is certainly a chance.’
‘Look here, old chap,’ said Frank, ‘I may as well be honest with you. If this thing goes against me, I am stony broke. I don’t know where your costs are coming from.’
‘Don’t bother about that,’ said Owen kindly. ‘After all, Manners is not infallible. Let us have Holland, and see what he can make of it.’
So twenty-four hours later Frank found Owen radiant with another opinion in his hand.