ry, he leaped forward again and the man who was holding the girl
also sprang at Orme.

It would be folly to meet the two. Orme turned and ran quickly in among
the trees of the little grove. The darkness was his friend, for the
pursuers halted in their quick run and separated, proceeding more
cautiously.

As for Orme, once in shelter, he stopped for breath.

He could see the two men coming toward him. They were outlined against
the radiance from the motor-cars. Cautiously he stepped toward the south,
hoping that they would pass him in the darkness, but he dared not move
rapidly, lest a stumble or the breaking of a twig betray him.

All this time the engines of the two cars had continued to work, and
their muffled chug-chug-chug helped to cover the noise of footsteps.

What pleased him most was to see, out of the corner of his eye, that the
girl had taken advantage of her release to climb to the chauffeur's seat
of the car in which Maku had brought them from Chicago. That meant that,
if he could reach the car, they might get away. But the papers----

By this time Orme was between his pursuers and the road. He stopped and
groped about till he found a fair-sized stone, then worked toward the
edge of the grove. The moment was at hand to make a dash.

Ten steps would take him to the car; then a leap into the tonneau, and
off to the northward he and the girl would speed. Pursuit would be
delayed for a few precious moments, for the Japanese would have to turn
the other car around. Those few moments would determine the margin of
success or failure.

But there were the papers. At all cost they must be secured. The plan
that flashed into Orme's mind was to draw the Japanese from the spot and
then, jumping from the car, let the girl lead the pursuers on while he
returned.

Just as he was about to rush for the car he heard a sound among the
trees. He wheeled and saw the dim outline of one of his enemies coming
toward him. In his excitement he had forgotten that just as they could be
seen by him when they were between him and the road, so he could now be
seen by them. Undoubtedly he was outlined, as they had been, against the
background of the light.

The Japanese was only a few feet away. Orme threw the stone; by good luck
it struck the man in the stomach, and he dropped to the ground and rolled
in silent agony.

But at the same moment Orme was seized from behind, and held in a grip he
could not break. Indeed, when he t