manded.

"For extricating my friend from his difficulty?"

"If he likes to come with us, he can leave his car here all night, and
return for it to-morrow."

"Perhaps----"

"Please do not trouble yourself in the least on my account," broke in
the Count gayly. "As for abandoning my car, such a stupid notion
would never enter my mind. No, no! I wait for Smith, but you may rely
on my appearance in Bristol before you have finished dinner."

Though it was no simple matter to back and turn the Mercury in that
rough and narrow road, Medenham accomplished the maneuver with a skill
that the Frenchman appreciated to the full. For the first time he
noted the number when the tail-lamp revealed it.

"X L 4000," he commented to himself. "I must inquire who the owner is.
Devar or Smith will know where to apply for the information. And I
must also ascertain that fellow's history. Confound him, and my luck,
too! If the Devar woman has any sense she will keep Cynthia well out
of his way until the other chauffeur arrives."

As it happened, the "Devar woman" was thinking the same thing at the
same moment, but, being nervous, dared not attempt to utter her
thoughts while the car was creeping cautiously over the ruts and
stones. At last, when the highroad was reached, the pace quickened,
and she regained the faculty of speech.

"We have had a quite eventful day," she said with an air of motherly
solicitude, turning to the distrait girl by her side. "I am sure you
are tired. What between an extra amount of sightseeing and poor Count
Edouard's unfortunate mistake, we have been in the car nearly twelve
hours."

"How did Fitzroy discover that we had taken the wrong road?" asked
Cynthia, rousing herself from a perplexed reverie.

"Well, he drove very fast from Cheddar, much too fast, to my thinking,
though the risk has been more than justified by circumstances. Of
course, it is always easy to be wise after the event. At any rate,
there being no sign of your car when we reached the top of a long
hill, we--er--we discussed matters, and decided to explore the
byroad."

"Did you remain long in Cheddar? If Fitzroy hit up the pace, why were
you so far behind?"

"I waited a few minutes to address some postcards. And that reminds
me--Fitzroy sent a most impertinent message by one of the
servants----"

"Impertinent!"

"My dear, there is no other word for it--something about going off
without me if I did not start instantly. Really, I sh