n the farther side.

For an interminable time, while the ponderous fabric rocked and toppled,
threatening very instant to crash upon its side, the rear wheels spun madly
and the chain-bound tires tore in vain at greasy road metal.

Without clear comprehension of what was happening, Sofia heard shouts from
the other car, now at a standstill, and an oddly syncopated popping. The
window in the door on Victor's side rang like a cracked bell, shivered, and
fell inward, clashing. With a growl of rage, Victor bent forward and
levelled an arm through the opening. From his hand truncated tongues of
orange flame, half a dozen of them, stabbed the gloom to an accompaniment
of as many short and savage barks.

Then the chains at last bit through to a purchase, the car scrambled to the
crown of the road and lunged precipitately away; and the lights of the
other dropped astern in the space of a rest between heartbeats.

Sitting back, Victor turned on the dome light again, and extracting an
empty magazine clip from the butt of his automatic pistol, replaced it with
another, loaded.

From this occupation he looked up with lips curling in contempt of Sofia's
terror.

"Your friends," he observed, "were a thought behindhand, eh? When you come
to know me better, my dear, you'll find they invariably are--with me."

Aftermath of fright made her tongue inarticulate; and Victor's sneer took
on a colour of mean amusement.

"Something on your mind?"

She twisted her hands together till the laced fingers hurt.

"Wha-what are you go-going to do with me?"

"Make good use of you, dear child," he laughed: "be sure of that!"

"What do you mean?"

"What do you think?"

"I don't know ..."

"Really not? But there I think you do injustice to your admirable
intelligence."

The jeering laugh sounded as he put out the light again, in darkness the
derisive voice pursued:

"If you must know in so many words--well, I mean to keep you by me till the
final curtain falls. As long as it lasts, yours will be an interesting
life--I give my word."

"And you call yourself my father!"

"Oh, no! No, indeed: that's all over and done with, the farce is played
out; and while I'm aware my role in it wasn't heroic, I shan't play the
purblind fool in the afterpiece--pure drama--upon which the curtain is now
rising. Neither need you. Oh, I'll be frank with you, if you wish, lay all
my cards on the table."

A deliberate pause ended in a chuckle.

"I ha