er, he had reasons for believing that investors
in his company might share her views, and he looked for serious trouble
with two or three gentlemen who blamed him for their losses, and had so
far incivilly refused to be pacified by his explanations.

Herbert was of a philosophic disposition, and realized that one must
not expect too much. Having made a handsome profit, he felt that he
ought to be content, and bear a certain amount of suspicion and
contumely with unruffled good-humor. For all that, he found it
disagreeable to be looked upon as a trickster, and it was worse when
his disgusted associates used more offensive epithets in his presence.

He was considering how he should deal with them when he entered a
thicker belt of mist. It shut him in so that he could see nothing
ahead, but there was a strong fence between him and the river, and he
went on, lost in thought, until the mist was suddenly illuminated and a
bright light flashed along the road. The hoot of a motor-horn broke
out behind him, and, rudely startled, he sprang aside. He was too
late; somebody cried out in warning, and the next moment he was
conscious of a blow that flung him bodily forward. He came down with a
crash; something seemed to grind him into the stones; there was a
stabbing pain in his side, and he lost consciousness.

Fortunately, the big car was promptly stopped, and two men sprang down.
An indistinct object lay just behind the forward pair of wheels, and in
anxious haste they dragged it clear and into the glare of the lamps.
Herbert's hat had fallen off; he was scarcely breathing, and his face
was ghastly white; but one of the men recognized him.

"It's Lansing," he exclaimed. "Seems badly hurt, though I'd nearly
pulled her up when she struck him."

"He was dragged some way; jacket must have caught the starting crank or
something; but that doesn't matter now." He raised his voice.
"Dreadfully sorry, Mr. Lansing; can you hear me?"

There was no answer, and the man shook his head.

"I'm afraid this is serious."

His companion looked unnerved, but he roused himself with an effort.

"It is, and we're behaving like idiots, wasting time that may be
valuable. Get hold and lift him in; his house is scarcely a mile away."

They had some difficulty in getting the unconscious man into the car;
and then its owner backed it twice into a bank before he succeeded in
turning round, but in three or four minutes they carried Herbert int