ther,
confronted with the unprecedented.

"If I wish to withdraw him, it is to place him out of danger," he
retorted with asperity. "Not because I wish to mortify him,
naturally. Is that clear? Does he want to pass the next thirteen hours
under this ordeal?"

"I'll tell you what he wants," answered Dick. "He wants to be let
alone. It seems to me he's earned that."

Ethan Ffrench opened his lips, and closed them again without speech.
It had not been his life's habit to let people alone and the art was
acquired with difficulty.

"I admit I do not comprehend the feelings you describe," he conceded,
at last. "But there is one person who has the right to decide whether
David shall continue this risk of his life. Emily, do you wish the car
withdrawn?"

There was a gasp from the other two men.

"I?" the young girl exclaimed, amazed. "I can call him here--safe--"

Her voice died out as Lestrange's car roared past, overtaking two
rivals on the turn and sliding between them with an audacity that
provoked rounds of applause from the spectators. To call him in from
that, to have him safe with her--the mere thought was a delight that
caught her breath. Yet, she knew Lestrange.

The three men watched her in keen suspense. The Mercury car had passed
twice again before she raised her head, and in that space of a hundred
seconds Emily reached the final unselfishness.

"What David wants," she said. "Uncle, what David wants."

"You're a brick!" cried Dick, in a passion of relief. "Emily, you're a
brick!"

She looked at him with eyes he never forgot.

"If anything happens to him, I hope I die too," she answered, and drew
the silk veil across her face.

"Go back, Mr. Dick, you're no good here," advised Bailey, in the
pause. "I guess Miss Emily is right, Mr. Ffrench; we've got nothing to
do but look on, for David Ffrench was wiped out to make Darling
Lestrange."

Having left the decision to Emily, it was in character that her uncle
offered no remonstrance when she disappointed his wish. Nor did he
reply to Bailey's reminder of who had sent David Ffrench to the track.
But he did adopt the suggestion to look on, and there was sufficient
to see.

When Lestrange came into his camp for oil and gasolene, near eight
o'clock, Dick seized the brief halt, the first in three hours.

"Emily's up in the stand," he announced. "Send her a word, old man;
and don't get reckless in front of her."

"Emily?" echoed Lestrange, too weary f