e of
Captain West's warnings. For how could three industrious conspirators
in a fishing smack off the Lizard do him any further damage?

If they had managed to relay information concerning him to their
friends ashore by some set of preconcerted signals, possibly the
regular steamer train to and out of London might be watched.

Thinking of this, it presently occurred to Neeland that friends in
France, also, might be stirred up in time to offer him their marked
attentions. This, no doubt, was what Captain West meant; and Neeland
considered the possibility as the flying train whirled him toward the
Channel.

He asked if he might smoke, and was informed that he might; and he
lighted a cigarette and stretched out on his chair, a little hungry
from lack of luncheon, a trifle tired from lack of sleep, but, in
virtue of his vigorous and youthful years, comfortable, contented, and
happy.

Never, he admitted, had he had such a good time in all his life,
despite the fact that chance alone, and not his own skill and
alertness and perspicacity, had saved his neck.

No, he could not congratulate himself on his cleverness and wisdom;
sheer accident had saved his skin--and once the complex and
unaccountable vagary of a feminine mind had saved him from
annihilation so utter that it slightly sickened him to remember his
position in Ilse Dumont's stateroom as she lifted her pistol and
coolly made good her boast as a dead-shot. But he forced himself to
take it lightly.

"Good Lord!" he thought to himself. "Was ever a man in such a hellish
position, except in melodrama? And _what_ a movie that would have
made! And what a shot that girl proved herself to be! Certainly she
could have killed me there at Brookhollow! She could have riddled me
before I ducked, even with that nickel-plated affair about which I was
ass enough to taunt her!"

Lying in his chair, cheek on arm, he continued to ponder on what had
happened, until the monotonous vibration no longer interfered with his
inclination for a nap. On the contrary, the slight, rhythmic jolting
soothed him and gradually induced slumber; and he slept there on the
rushing train, his feet crossed and resting on the olive-wood box.

* * * * *

A hand on his arm aroused him; the sea wind blowing through the open
doors of the mail-van dashed in his face like a splash of cool water
as he sat up and looked around him.

As he descended from the van