o place.

"Have you a conveyance?" said Anthony.

"N-no, sir. I sent the fly away. I had thought I would walk back," he
added miserably.

Clearly the chance of encountering Winchester was not at all to his
taste.

"You'd better come with me," said Lyveden. "It's the quickest way to
Girdle. I live in the cottage close to the London road."

Mr. Plowman felt inclined to put his arms round Anthony's neck....

Three-quarters of an hour later the little attorney stepped, with a
sigh of relief, on to the King's highway. Going and pace had tried him
pretty hard, and he was simply streaming with sweat. He pushed back
his hat and blew out his cheeks comically. Then he set down his bag
and started to mop his face.

"By Jove!" he said, panting. "By Jove, I'm glad to be----" His eyes
resting upon Anthony, he broke off and fell a-staring. "Why," he
cried, "you haven't turned a hair!"

Anthony smiled.

"I take a lot of hard exercise," he explained.

"By Jove!" said Mr. Plowman, wide-eyed. "Well, I'm awfully obliged to
you."

"You've nothing to thank me for." Lyveden pointed to the cottage.
"That's where I live." He put out his hand. "Are you all right now?"

"Splendid, thanks. Can't think how I came to faint like that. Of
course..."

He took the outstretched hand meditatively.

"The room was unusually hot," said Anthony.

The other stared at him.

"Yes," he said slowly. "By Jove, yes...." With a sudden movement he
picked up his bag. "Good-bye."

The next moment he was plodding down the broad white road.

Anthony watched him till he could see him no more. Then he turned on
his heel and whistled to his dog.

As he did so, the purr of an engine rose out of the distance, and he
turned to see a large touring-car sailing towards him from the
direction of Town.

"Come on, Patch!" he cried quickly.

The approach of the car made him anxious. The terrier, he knew, had
crossed the road, and there was something about this particular reach
of metalling that tempted motorists to pass at the deuce of a pace.

The car sailed on.

It was fifty paces away, when Anthony heard Patch flouncing through the
undergrowth in response to his call. In another second the terrier
would take his customary flying leap from the bank on to the road--on
the same side as the car....

In a flash, Anthony was full in its path, spreading out signalling arms.

The tires were tearing at the macadam as Patch leaped into