ound to go."

"And you found him waiting for you?" I asked quietly, though my brain
was aflame, for I was determined to ascertain all that had passed
between them.

"He was waiting for me," she repeated--"waiting for me and the storm.
That must have come at his bidding too. It was horrible waiting for him
to speak--horrible! I tried to ask him what he wanted, but my tongue was
tied. Not until after the first peal of thunder did he utter a word.
Then he told me the time was nearly at hand when he should come for me."
I clenched my fists involuntarily, but I did not interrupt my darling's
story. "I begged of him to leave me free. He paid no heed. 'I am going
away,' he said. 'For three days you will see nothing of me, though all
England will be talking of my deeds. On the third I shall return. Mind
you are ready.'"

"Did you not mention me?" I remarked weakly. I hardly knew what to say,
for it seemed to me that either Evie must be the victim of some
extraordinary hallucination, or else that Mannering was mad.

"He mentioned you," she replied. "'Tell Sutgrove,' he said, 'that he has
three days in which to capture the Motor Pirate and make sure of his
bride. After that he will be too late. Tell him, too, that death waits
on the fool who fails.'"

"It's a sporting challenge," I muttered, for I had no doubt now in my
mind that Mannering and the Pirate were identical.

My words did not reach Evie's ear, for she continued,

"Now you know why I have put away your ring. He is too strong for us. I
must do as he bids me. I----"

I interrupted her sharply. "Have you everything packed to go away on
your visit to Norfolk to-morrow?" I asked.

The tone of my voice roused her. She looked at me wildly.

"Why--why----" she said. Then the expression faded out of her face. For
the second time that day she had fainted.

CHAPTER XVIII

IN WHICH THE PIRATE APPEARS IN A FROLICSOME HUMOUR

THE fainting fit which terminated my conversation with Evie alarmed me
tremendously, and as soon as I could summon assistance I sent for a
doctor. She came round before the medical man arrived, but I did not
revert to the topic which had agitated her. Indeed, she appeared
listless and disinclined to say a word on any subject. Colonel Maitland
was less worried than myself, but even he was anxious until after the
doctor had seen her and assured him that his daughter was merely
suffering from over excitement, and that a sedative and a good