, fell swooning back on the seat.

May recovered consciousness to find the car still rushing forward in the
dark and the hand of her captor still resting at her throat.

"You be a sensible girl," said a muffled voice, "and do as you're told
and no harm will come to you."

It was too dark to see his face, and it was evident that even if there
were light the face was so well concealed that she could not recognize
the speaker. Then she remembered that this man, who had acted as her
guide, had been careful to keep in the shadow of whatever light there
was while he was conducting her, as he said, to the matron.

"Where are you taking me?" she asked.

"You'll know in time," was the noncommittal answer.

It was a wild night; rain splashed against the windows of the car, and
she could hear the wind howling above the noise of the engines. They
were evidently going into the country, for now and again, by the light
of the headlamps, she glimpsed hedges and trees which flashed past. Her
captor suddenly let down one of the windows and leaned out, giving some
instructions to the driver. What they were she guessed, for the lights
were suddenly switched off and the car ran in darkness.

The girl was in a panic for all her bold showing. She knew that this
desperate man was fearless of consequence, and that, if her death would
achieve his ends and the ends of his partners, her life was in imminent
peril. What were those ends, she wondered. Were these the same men who
had done to death John Minute?

"Who are you?" she asked.

There was a little, chuckling laugh.

"You'll know soon enough."

The words were hardly out of his mouth when there was a terrific crash.
The car stopped suddenly and canted over, and the girl was jerked
forward to her knees. Every pane of glass in the car was smashed, and it
was clear, from the angle at which it lay, that irremediable damage had
been done. The man scrambled up, kicked open the door, and jumped out.

"Level-crossing gate, sir," said the voice of the chauffeur. "I've
broken my wrist."

With the disappearance of her captor, the girl had felt for the
fastening of the opposite door, and had turned it. To her delight it
opened smoothly, and had evidently been unaffected by the jam. She
stepped out to the road, trembling in every limb.

She felt, rather than saw, the level-crossing gate, and knew that at one
side was a swing gate for passengers. She reached this when her abductor
discovere