ure."

His yellow face smiled cheery encouragement into hers, and Olga felt
subtly comforted.

"Oh, I am glad I've got you, Nick," she said. "You're such a brick in
any trouble."

"Don't tell anyone!" said Nick. "But that's my speciality."

The midday sun was veiled in a thick haze, and the heat was intense. The
dust lay white upon the hedges, and eddied about their wheels as they
passed. The sea stretched away indefinitely into the sky, leaden,
motionless, with no sound of waves.

"I am sure there will be a storm," said Olga.

"A good thing if there is," said Nick.

"Yes, but Violet is terrified at thunder. She always has been."

"It won't break yet," he said.

Almost noiselessly the motor sped along the dusty road. All Olga's
faculties became concentrated upon her task, and she spoke no more.

They reached the village. It seemed to be deserted in the slumbrous
stillness. There was not so much as a dog to be seen.

Suddenly Nick spoke. "What became of Hunt-Goring?"

The colour leaped into her pale, tense face. "He landed us at the jetty,
and went away again in his yacht."

"Let us hope he will go to the bottom!" said Nick.

She shook her head, a gleam of spirit answering his. "Men like that
never do."

They ran unhindered through the village and came to "The Ship." The
inn-door gaped upon the street. There was not a soul in sight.

Olga brought the car to a stand. "We had better go straight in, Nick."

"Certainly," said Nick.

She peeped into the bar and found it empty. Together they entered the
narrow passage. The unmistakable odour of beer and stale tobacco was
all-prevalent. The air was heavy with it. They reached the foot of the
steep winding stairs, and Olga paused irresolutely.

"There doesn't seem to be anyone downstairs. Will you wait while I run
up?"

"No," said Nick. "I'm coming too."

They ascended therefore, and commenced to search the upper regions. But
the same absolute quiet reigned above as below. Only the loud ticking of
a cuckoo-clock at the head of the stairs aggravated the stillness.

Olga opened one or two doors along the passage and looked into empty
rooms, and finally turned round to Nick with scared eyes.

"What can have happened? Where can she be gone?"

As she uttered the words, there fell a heavy footstep in the sanded
passage below, and the sound of a man's cough came up to them.

Nick wheeled. "Hi, Briggs! Is that you?"

"Briggs it is," said a thick voice.