ve at present precisely two uses for my precious little Sofia: She
will serve excellently as insurance against further persecution on the part
of her accomplished and energetic father--with whom I shall deal in my good
leisure--and ... But need one be crudely explicit?"

Sofia answered nothing to that, for a long time she said nothing, but sat
pondering....

And Victor was speedily provided with another interest which engrossed him
to the exclusion of further efforts to bait a victim defenseless against
his insolence.

When for the third time after that narrow scrape at the gates the man
roused up to peer back through the rear window of the limousine, Sofia
heard a harshly sibilant intake of breath between shut teeth, and surmised
the discovery that the car which had so narrowly missed blocking their
escape had picked up the trail, and was now in hot chase.

Even youth, however, could distill but slender hope from this. The pace was
too terrific at which Victor's car was thundering through the night-bound
countryside, it seemed idle to dream that another could overhaul it, even
though driven with as much skill and maniacal recklessness. And Sofia
returned to thoughts to which Victor's innuendo had given definite shape
and colour, if with an effect far from that of his intention. Threatened,
the spirit of the girl responded much as sane young flesh will to a cold
plunge. She had forgotten to tremble, and though still tense-strung in
every fibre was able to sit still, look steadily into the face of peril,
and calculate her chances of cheating it.

Presently, in a tone so even it won begrudged admiration, she asked:

"Where are you taking me?"

"Do you really care?"

"Enough to ask."

"But why should I tell you?"

"No reason. I presume it doesn't really matter, I'll know soon enough."

"Then I don't mind enlightening you. We're bound for the Continent by way
of Limehouse. A launch is waiting for us in Limehouse Reach, a yacht off
Gravesend. Oh, I have forgotten nothing! By daybreak we'll be at sea."

"We?"

"You and I."

"You deceive yourself, Prince Victor. I shan't accompany you."

"How amusing! And is it a secret, how you propose to stand against my
will?"

Sofia was silent for a little; then, "I can kill myself," she said,
quietly.

"To be sure you can! And when I tire of you, perhaps I'll humour your
morbid inclinations--if they still exist."

"You are a fool," Sofia returned, bluntly, "if you t