"Zank ze goodness SHE is not here!" exclaimed the Baron.

"Whisht! whisht!" he could hear Dugald expostulate.

With a violent start he turned to the fellow-passenger who had followed
him in.

"Are you not Dugald?" he demanded hoarsely.

"No--it's--it's me! I dursn't wait for my dog-cart!"

"Eva!" he murmured. "Oh, Himmel! Vat shall I do?"

Only a screen of glass separated his two rescuers, and the one had
but to turn her head and look inside, or the other to study with any
attention the roll of hair beneath their driver's cap, in order to lead
to most embarrassing consequences. Not that it was his fault he should
receive such universal sympathy: but would these charming ladies admit
his innocence?

"How thoughtful of Dugald to have this car----" began Eva.

"Hush!" he muttered hoarsely. "Yes, it was thoughtful, but you most not
speak too loudly."

"For fear----?" she smiled, and turned her eyes instinctively toward
their driver.

"Excuse me," he muttered, sweeping her as gently as possible from her
seat and placing her upon the floor.

"It vill not do for zem to see you," he explained in a whisper.

"How awful a position," he reflected. "Oh, I hope it may still be dark
ven we get to ze station."

But with rising concern he presently perceived that the telegraph posts
along the roadside were certainly grown plainer already; he could even
see the two thin wires against a paling sky; the road behind was visible
for half a mile; the hill-tops might no longer be confounded with the
clouds-day indubitably was breaking. Also he recollected that to go
from Lincoln Lodge to Torrydhulish Station one had to make a vast detour
round half the loch; and, further, began to suspect that though Miss
Maddison's driving was beyond reproach her knowledge of topography was
scarcely so dependable. In point of fact she increased the distance by
at least a third, and all the while day was breaking more fatally clear.

To discourage Miss Gallosh's efforts at conversation, yet keep her
sitting contentedly upon the floor; to appear asleep whenever Miss
Maddison turned her head and threw a glance inside, and to devise some
adequate explanation against the inevitable discovery at the end of
their drive, provided him with employment worthy of a diplomatist's
steel. But now, at last, they were within sight of railway signals and
a long embankment; and over a pine wood a stream of smoke moved with a
swelling roar. Then into plain view