her man.

"Weir, for God's sake, for God's sake, for God's sake!" Deaves was
gabbling in an ecstasy of terror.

With an effort Evan commanded himself. Nothing was to be gained by
making a row there in the woods. Indeed he already saw how foolish he
had been to betray his discovery.

The examination of the bonds was concluded. The man who had them spoke
to his partner: "These are all right. Hold them here while I start the
engine."

Evan, more accustomed now to the darkness of the woods, made out that
at the point where they stood the road forked. In the left fork he
dimly perceived the form of a car at a few paces distance. The top was
down. Presently the engine started, and Evan recognised that it was
the same car that had carried him off. The engine had its own rattle.

Charley said in a disguised voice: "Keep straight ahead to the right."

He started to back away from them, keeping the light playing on the
agonised, fascinated face of Deaves, who stood rooted to the ground.
The hand that held the light trembled a little. Suddenly it was
switched off and Charley ran the last few steps that separated him from
the car.

Evan involuntarily sprang forward, leaving a speechless and gasping
Deaves in the road. But Evan was not thinking of Deaves then. He saw
Charley take the driver's seat in the car. The noise of the engine
drowned what sounds Evan's feet made. He laid hands on the back of the
car as it started to move, and swung himself off the ground. His knees
found the gasoline tank. He cautiously turned around and let himself
down upon it in a sitting position, his hands still clinging to the
folds of the lowered top above his head. As they got under way the man
beside Charley blew a blast on a whistle similar to those they had
heard before.

They went but slowly for the way was rough. Evan prayed that the tank
beneath him might be stoutly swung to the frame. As well as he could
he distributed his weight between the tank and the top. After passing
over some spring-testing bumps in safety he felt somewhat reassured.
If she stood that there would not be much danger on a smoother road
when they hit up speed.

Emerging from the woods they turned into a farm road not so bad, and by
means of the farm road they gained a dirt highway, ever increasing
speed as the way became smoother. All this neighbourhood was quite
unknown to Evan of course, and his point of view was somewhat
restricted, being