days until Ugo and the police would put two and two together and
come racing into the valley, certain that Courant had been killed by
the abductors of Dorothy Garrison.

One morning, therefore, shortly after the visit of Father Bivot, he
asked Lord Saxondale for the use of a conveyance, announcing his
intention to drive with Dorothy to the nearest railway station.
There was dismay in the heart of everyone who sat at what had been a
cheerful breakfast table. Quentin deliberately went on to say that
he would take no lackey, preferring to expose none but himself in
the undertaking.

"Can you be ready in an hour, Dorothy?" he asked, after Saxondale
had reluctantly consented.

"Do you insist on carrying out this Quixotic plan, Phil?" she asked,
after a long pause.

"Positively."

"Then, I can be ready in half an hour," she said, leaving the table
abruptly.

"Confound it, Phil; she'd rather stay here," said Dickey, miserably.

"I intend to restore her to her mother, just the same. There's no
use discussing it, Dickey. If they don't throw me into jail at
Brussels, I may return in a day or two."

There was a faint flush in Dorothy's cheeks as she bade good-bye to