any rate, it startled Bream. I
will go further. It gave Bream the shock of a lifetime. He had had
shocks already that night, but none to be compared with this. Or perhaps
it was that this shock, coming on top of those shocks, affected him more
disastrously than it would have done if it had been the first of the
series instead of the last. One may express the thing briefly by saying
that, as far as Bream was concerned, Sam's unconventional appearance put
the lid on it. He did not hesitate. He did not pause to make comments
or ask questions. With a single cat-like screech which took years off
the lives of the abruptly wakened birds roosting in the neighbouring
trees, he dashed away towards the house and, reaching his room, locked
the door and pushed the bed, the chest of drawers, two chairs, the towel
stand, and three pairs of boots against it.

Out on the drive Billie was staring at the man in armour who had now,
with a masterful wrench which informed the car right away that he would
stand no nonsense, set the engine going again.

"Why--why," she stammered, "why are you wearing that thing on your
head?"

"Because I can't get it off."

Hollow as the voice was, Billie recognised it.

"S--Mr. Marlowe!" she exclaimed.

"Get in," said Sam. He had seated himself at the steering wheel. "Where
can I take you?"

"Go away!" said Billie.

"Get in!"

"I don't want to talk to you."

"I want to talk to _you_! Get in!"

"I won't."

Sam bent over the side of the car, put his hands under her arms, lifted
her like a kitten, and deposited her on the seat beside him. Then
throwing in the clutch, he drove at an ever-increasing speed down the
drive and out into the silent road. Strange creatures of the night came
and went in the golden glow of the head-lights.

Sec. 7

"Put me down," said Billie.

"You'd get hurt if I did, travelling at this pace."

"What are you going to do?"

"Drive about till you promise to marry me."

"You'll have to drive a long time."

"Right ho!" said Sam.

The car took a corner and purred down a lane. Billie reached out a hand
and grabbed at the steering wheel.

"Of course, if you _want_ to smash up in a ditch!" said Sam, righting
the car with a wrench.

"You're a brute!" said Billie.

"Caveman stuff," explained Sam, "I ought to have tried it before."

"I don't know what you expect to gain by this."

"That's all right," said Sam, "I know what I'm about."

"I'm glad to hear it."