was sitting bolt upright with
one hand on a lever beside him. I shouted something at him angrily as I
approached, but he made no response.

"Hullo! Are you asleep, sir?" said Forrest, as he put one foot on the
step and grasped the silent motorist by the arm.

There was no reply. I saw Forrest leave his hold on the stranger, and,
stepping back into the road, draw his hand across his brow.

"My God!" he muttered

"What is it?" I asked.

Forrest caught his breath sharply. "A piece more of the Motor Pirate's
work, I fancy," he said slowly; "and this time, I think it
spells--murder."

For a minute I stood absolutely still. It was one of the most eerie
moments of my life. Above and about us the black night, beside us the
two cars coughing and grunting as if anxious to be moving, and that
silent figure sitting up erect upon his seat, utterly unconscious of
the two persons standing watching him with horror-stricken faces.

Forrest's voice, clear, cool, incisive, brought me to myself.

"One of your lamps here, Sutgrove, if you can manage it."

I took a lamp from its socket, and held it while the detective made a
brief inspection. It took him a very short time to assure him that his
surmise was near the truth.

It was murder.

Right in the centre of the forehead of the silent figure was a small
blue hole, so cleanly drilled that it scarcely marred the features of
the dead man. One hand still grasped the lever, the other had dropped
slightly. When the light fell upon it, I perceived the fingers to be
tightly clasped about the butt of a revolver.

Forrest lifted the hand and glanced at the weapon. "One cartridge
discharged," he said. "Surely it cannot be a case of suicide?"

Just at that moment I caught sight of a piece of paper pinned to the
dead man's coat. I pointed it out to Forrest. He unfolded it, glanced at
it, and handed it to me without a word.

It was just a half sheet of ordinary paper used for typing, and upon it
was typed the following sentence--

"This is the fate awaiting those who venture to resist the Motor
Pirate."

"That would seem to settle the question as to whether this is a case of
suicide or not," I said, handing back the paper to the inspector.

"H'm! At all events the inquest will," he replied. "I'm afraid in any
case this ends our pursuit for the night," he continued. "I think I must
ask you to run on to the nearest town for assistance. Have you any idea
of our whereabouts?"

By c