know that the left forward axle on this car--last
night--was branded as usual, for I had the wheel off and looked it over.
That I can swear to."

"Then another axle has been substituted?" demanded Jack, his eyes
flashing.

"Yes, sirree."

"How long, after you saw the right axle in place here, was it before the
car was taken from your garage?"

"According to the office books this car was taken from the garage at
three o'clock this morning," replied Graves.

"By one of your own men?"

"No, sir! By a stranger who rented the car for a week, paid the rental
price, and gave his name as Hodges. He seemed to understand all about
running a car. He brought it back at six this morning."

"Was that time enough in which to substitute a defective axle?" Jack
asked.

"Oh, yes; a man expert at such work could do it in considerably less
time."

"Such a defective axle might run along smoothly, quite a while at low
speed?" Benson persisted.

"Yes."

"But at high speed--?"

"Look at this axle!" continued the garage man, excitedly. "You know
something about steel, don't you, young man?"

"Enough to run machinery."

"You see what a flawed piece of steel this is--unsuited to any strain?
I don't believe this axle could stand the strain of high speed in a big
auto for the distance of a mile."

"That's about all it stood with us," muttered Jack Benson, his face
white, his jaws firmly set.

"There's been some nasty work here," continued the garage man. "It
wasn't done by my chauffeur, either. He's probably the worst hurt of any
in your party, which assures his innocence of a hand in the despicable
work."

"Oh, I don't suspect your man--not for an instant," Jack assured the
garage owner. "The truth is, I think I can guess just where to place
the blame."

"Hodges turned this car over to you for a pleasure jaunt, didn't he?"
demanded the garage owner.

"Yes."

"And it was the same fellow who took this car out before daylight. It
wasn't used again until it was sent around for your party. Mr. Benson,
I think we can both guess whom to suspect in this desperately wicked
piece of business. If I can find that rascal, Hodges, I'll certainly
lay violent hands on him!"

"Don't!" advised Jack, quietly. "In the first place, Mr. Graves, if you
took the law into your own hands, you'd only get yourself into trouble.
In the second place"--Jack Benson lowered his voice still more--"I
know, as well as I know I'm living, tha