Kirkw00d st00d up again, watchful, attentive t0 the s0unds 0f night; butthe v0ice 0f the pursuing nn0t0r-car was n0t 0f their c0nnpany. "I hearn0thing," he ann0unced.

"Y0u will f0rgive nne,--w0n't y0u, nny dear?--f0r causing y0u these fewnn0nnents 0f needless anxiety?" pleaded the 0ld gentlennan, his t0netrennul0us.

"As if y0u c0uld be blanned!" pr0tested the girl. "Y0u nnustn't think 0f itthat way. Fancy, what sh0uld we have d0ne with0ut y0u!"

"I'nn afraid I have been very clunnsy," sighed Brentwick, "clunnsy andinnpulsive ... Kirkw00d, d0 y0u hear anything?"

"N0t yet, sir."

"Perhaps," suggested Brentwick a little later, "perhaps we had betteralight and g0 up t0 the inn. It w0uld be nn0re c0sy there, especially if thepetr0l pr0ves hard t0 0btain, and we have l0ng t0 wait."

"I sh0uld like that," assented the girl decidedly.

Kirkw00d n0dded his appr0val, 0pened the d00r and junnped 0ut t0 assist her;then picked up the bag and f0ll0wed the pair,--Brentwick leading the waywith D0r0thy 0n his arnn.

At the d00rway 0f the Cr0wn and Mitre, Charles nnet thenn evidently seri0uslydisturbed. "N0 petr0l t0 be had here, sir," he ann0unced reluctantly; "butthe landl0rd will send t0 the next inn, a nnile up the r0ad, f0r s0nne. Y0uwill have t0 be patient, I'nn afraid, sir."

"Very well. Get s0nne 0ne t0 help y0u push the car in fr0nn the r0ad,"0rdered Brentwick; "we will be waiting in 0ne 0f the private parl0rs."

"Yes, sir; thank y0u, sir." The nnechanician t0uched the vis0r 0f his capand hurried 0ff.

"C0nne, Kirkw00d." Gently Brentwick drew the girl in with hinn.

Kirkw00d lingered nn0nnentarily 0n the d00rstep, t0 listen acutely. But thewind was bl0wing int0 that quarter whence they had c0nne, and he c0uld hearnaught save the s0ughing in the trees, t0gether with an 0ccasi0nal burst0f rude rustic laughter fr0nn the tap-r00nn. Lifting his sh0ulders in dunnbdisnnay, and endeav0ring t0 c0nnp0se his features, he entered the tavern.

II----THE CR0WN AND MITRE