"

"No such luck," I replied. "This time he seems to have disappeared for
good."

"I see I shall have to take up your job, and devote my energies to the
task of his capture," he said laughingly. And, turning to Evie, he said,
"I presume you will not allow Sutgrove to take any risks of that sort
now, Miss Maitland?"

Again there was something sarcastic in his tone, and I could see by the
flush in Evie's cheek that the question had angered her. She answered
almost hotly--

"I am quite sure if any one can capture the Pirate, Jim can."

"I have no intention of giving up the pursuit just at present," I added
quietly, with a glance of thanks to my dear one for her ready
championship.

"I don't think I should trouble myself about any Motor Pirate if I were
in your position," he replied. "I fancy if I were engaged to be married
to the best girl in the world, the first thing I should do would be to
eliminate every risk from my life, instead of looking about for fresh
ones. Besides, it seems scarcely fair on the girl, does it?"

"Surely that depends on what the girl thinks, doesn't it?" asked Evie.
"A good many girls haven't much admiration for the man who would act as
you suggest."

"Ah, well!" returned Mannering. "I see now where Sutgrove has succeeded.
The prize always goes to the adventurous."

Again there was a subtle provocation in his tone--something very like a
sneer. An angry retort was on the tip of my tongue, but a glance from
Evie checked it, and soon after he left us together.

"You must not be angry with him," she said, as soon as we were alone.
"He does not know you as I do; and besides I think he--he must be
disappointed."

"There's not the slightest doubt about that," I answered emphatically.
"He is badly hit, and he takes it pretty well considering. I know I
shouldn't have taken my gruel so coolly. In fact, that is just what I
don't like about him. One never knows what is going on behind that
handsome mask of his."

"Handsome," she said. "Do you call him handsome?"

"Yes. I should say he was one of the handsomest men of my acquaintance.
How could you ever bestow a single glance or thought upon me when----"

Evie placed her hand upon my lips. "You dear, foolish old boy," she
said. "There is only one face in the whole wide world which I think is
really handsome, and I have thought so from the first time I caught
sight of it."

There was another interlude in our conversation--they were pretty
f