ng the place, and
to confirm my opinion, at that moment Sir Lionel swung the car around
suddenly, and plunged headlong into the black mouth of a narrow lane.

Hitherto, the roads had been fair, but now the jolting and swaying
became very pronounced.

"Beastly road!" shouted Barton--"and stiff gradient!"

I nodded.

That part of the way which was visible in front had the appearance of
a muddy cataract, through which we must force a path.

Then, as abruptly as it had commenced, the rain ceased; and at almost
the same moment came an angry cry from behind.

The canvas hood made it impossible to see clearly in the car, but,
turning quickly, I perceived Kennedy, with his cap off, rubbing his
close-cropped skull. He was cursing volubly.

"What is it, Kennedy?

"Somebody sniping!" cried the man. "Lucky for me I had my cap on!"

"Eh, sniping?" said Barton, glancing over his shoulder. "What d'you
mean? A stone, was it?"

"No, sir," answered Kennedy. "I don't know what it was--but it wasn't
a stone."

"Hurt much?" I asked.

"No, sir! nothing at all." But there was a note of fear in the man's
voice--fear of the unknown.

Something struck the hood with a dull drum-like thud.

"There's another, sir!" cried Kennedy. "There's some one following us!"

"Can you see any one?" came the reply. "I thought I saw something
then, about twenty yards behind. It's so dark."

"Try a shot!" I said, passing my Browning to Kennedy.

The next moment, the crack of the little weapon sounded sharply, and I
thought I detected a vague, answering cry.

"See anything?" came from Barton.

Neither Kennedy nor I made reply; for we were both looking back down
the hill. Momentarily, the moon had peeped from the cloud-banks, and
where, three hundreds yards behind, the bordering trees were few, a
patch of dim light spread across the muddy road--and melted away as a
new blackness gathered.

But, in the brief space, three figures had shown, only for an instant--
but long enough for us both to see that they were those of three gaunt
men, seemingly clad in scanty garments. What weapons they employed I
could not conjecture; but we were pursued by three of Dr. Fu-Manchu's
dacoits!

Barton growled something savagely, and ran the car to the left of the
road, as the gates of Dr. Hamilton's house came in sight.

A servant was there, ready to throw them open; and Sir Lionel swung
around on to the drive, and drove ahead, up the elm avenue to where