rlong or so, the road was in ribbons. They seemed
to have been hauling timber. The only thing to do was to be as quick
as he could and hope for the best. Going fast, he should be back again
in twenty minutes....

There had blown a gale in the night, and Every was not surprised to
find one of the tall dark pillars of the gigantic corridor fallen
across the lean brown road. It was his haste in surmounting this
obstacle that was responsible for the simple but painful fracture of
his left leg. The trunk was slippery, and he had jumped untimely to
save a fall. Two stout boughs had been waiting, and the rest was
easy....

Now, Peter Every was, as we know, no coward; but when, lying there, he
reflected that, thanks to his efforts, the estate was now deserted, he
became extremely uneasy. And presently, when he remembered Miss
Strongi'th'arm's words, he broke into a cold sweat.

'If you get safe out of her to-day, I shouldn't come back--_if you can
help it_.'

* * * * *

"I'm told," said Anthony weakly, "that I'm at Bell Hammer."

Lady Touchstone smiled and nodded.

"That's right," she said gently. "And Valerie should be here to
welcome you, but she's asleep. So you must make shift with me."

The truth was, Valerie French had broken down. The strain of waiting
and watching for the hour for which she longed, yet dreaded, had proved
too much. Only the day before she had fainted suddenly, and, honestly
glad of an excuse, the local doctor had ordered her to bed forthwith.
Valerie had obeyed dumbly. She knew that she had come to the end of
her tether, and so to that of her wit; and since, to deal at all
hopefully with Anthony's return to consciousness, her understanding
must be on tiptoe, she knew that she was better away. If the change
was to come before she was fit for duty, it could not be helped. In
her present condition she was, she felt, worse than useless.

Two hours later Anthony had tried to sit up, failed, looked dazedly
about him, and when the fresh-faced nurse stole to his side, asked
first for some water and then, shakily, to be told where he was. He
had promised, in return for the answer, to ask no more questions, but
to go quietly to sleep. This promise he had immediately broken by
asking anxiously for news of his dog. Learning that Patch was below,
and well and happy, he had spoken no more. After eighteen hours he had
awaked, greatly refreshed, to find himself the