sed myself to repay this injury with
interest."

"Well, I suppose we are as likely to meet him here as anywhere," I
ventured to remark.

"I hope so," he answered. "But I am not stopping here for long. I've
taken a bed for the night, because I feel confoundedly tired after last
night's run. But what brings you down here? Are you motoring?"

"In the first place I wanted a word with you," I replied.

"With me?" The amazement in his voice was obvious.

"Yes," I said; "that is my principal object."

"But how did you discover my address? I left no word with any one."

"I'll tell you later," I said.

"Well, we have plenty of time to talk," he replied. "If there's any
little difficulty in which I can be of any assistance, I need hardly
assure you I am at your service. But hadn't you better have lunch
first?" He lowered the tone of his voice. "Unless you wish the waiters
to become acquainted with your affairs, I should think what you have to
say could be much better said outside. Neither pier nor esplanade are
much frequented at this time of the year."

The suggestion was so natural and reasonable that, after a moment's
consideration, I decided to accept it.

All through the meal he chatted as easily as if there was not the
slightest possibility of anything happening to interrupt the friendship
which had always ostensibly existed between us. The longer we talked,
the more puzzled I became. His manners were so natural, so fearless,
that it was quite impossible for me to believe that I was sitting at
lunch with the Motor Pirate. He was very curious to know how I had
learned of his intention to come to Cromer, and I was induced to tell
him of my experiences on the previous night. I watched his face keenly
while I narrated the stories of the Pirate's victims. He listened quite
gravely, not even the ghost of a smile crossing his face when I told him
of the ludicrous pictures presented by the old lady and her two
servants.

"It is no laughing matter," he observed. "The rascal was bad enough when
he confined his attentions to men; but now he has taken to bestowing
them upon women, he deserves no mercy, and when I am able to get upon
his track, he will get none."

"Then you are really hoping to join in the hunt?" I asked.

"Yes," he said. "I'll let you into my secret. At my place at St.
Stephens, I had a car which only wanted one minor detail to make it
complete. I have known for months, that if I could supply that detai