our to our impatience."

"Got you the first time," Jules replied, unlatching and raising one
wing of the hood.

Lanyard moved toward the middle of the road and flagged the Delorme
touring car as it rounded the turn, a few seconds later, at such speed
that Leon was put to it to stop the car fifty yards beyond the
limousine. The man jumped down and, followed by the maid, ran back, but
before he reached the limousine was obliged to jump aside to escape the
grey car which, tooled by a crack racing hand, took the corner on two
wheels, then straightened out and tore past in a smother of dust, with
its muffler cut out and the exhaust bellowing like a machine-gun.

Lanyard counted four figures, two on the front seat, two in the
tonneau. More than this, the headlong speed and the failing light
rendered it impossible to see--though had the one been less and the
other stronger, he could have gained little more information from
inspection of those four shapes shrouded in dust coats and masked with
goggles.

Watching its rear light dwindle, he fancied that the grey shadow was
slowing down; but one could not be sure about that.

"There is something wrong, monsieur?"

The man Leon was at his elbow. Lanyard replied with the curt nod of a
disgruntled motorist.

"Something--Jules can tell you," he said shortly.

"Meanwhile, Mademoiselle Delorme and I have decided not to wait. We've
got no time to spare. We will take your car and go on."

"But, monsieur, I--" Leon began to expostulate.

The icy accents of Liane Delorme cut it: "Well, Leon: what is your
objection?"

"Objection, madame?" the fellow faltered. "Pardon--but it is not for
me to object. I--I was merely startled."

"Then get over that at once," he was advised; "and bring my
jewelcase--Marthe will point it out to you--to the touring-car."

"Yes, madame, immediately."

"Also the lunch-hamper, if you please."

"Assuredly, monsieur."

Leon departed hastily for the limousine, where Marthe joined him, while
Lanyard and Liane Delorme proceeded to the touring car.

"But what on earth do you want with that hamper, monsieur?"

"Hush, little sister, not so loud! Brother thinks he has another idea."

"Then Heaven forbid that I should interfere!"

Staggering under its weight, Leon shouldered the jewelcase and carried
it to the touring car, where Liane superintended its disposal in the
luggage-jammed tonneau. A second trip, less laborious, brought them the
hamper. Lia