The Motor Pirate

was just half-past ten as Winter steered us carefully through Piccadilly

he way the car glided in and out of the traffic, delicately responsive to the slightest touch of the steering wheel, was sufficient evidence of its quality to set the most nervous passenger at ease. As it was as yet too early for the after theatre traffic to fill the streets and compel us to stop every f

said Winter, cheerily over

I should have thought him to be asleep had not the re

he thin cloud which floated behind us. We passed the Welsh Harp without a check, and not until we reached Edgeware did Winter revert to his second speed. We ran through the little town with only momentary slackening of pace, and so we sped onwards until we opened the stretch of road leading to Brockley Hill. Here Winter, seeing the road clear ahead, jammed on his hig

. His head was bent forward, and the regular and gentle murmur which came from his nose proclaimed that he slept. I had just mentioned the fact t

ere's another chap coming on b

view, however, and made me doubt whet

other car owned in this district we should not have left miles behind us, even if it had started at the same ti

reached a straight stretch

s another car, and by jove! I

outed Wint

peed and jammed down the accelerator. The change was enormous. Our powerful car, relieved from all re

's the Motor Pirate himself," he remarked in a pleas

he stranger; yet I was so fascinated with the pace we were travelling

e note was a higher one. I half turned. The other car was within a yard or two of us. In another second it was level and, running without any v

car, and I saw him bite his lip with ann

ant moonlight, the boat-shaped car with its sharp prow, the almost invisible wheels, the

," I said to Winter, and my vo

ave said I do not know, for at this moment the stranger turn

you gentlemen to

y one requires him to pull up, his temper invariably gets the better of his man

he replied, with ironic courtesy. "Otherwise I shall be compelled to do some

as in effect Winter's l

r fate will be upon your own heads," said the st

y miles an hour, we might have been standing still, he dropped us so

, abruptly. He suited the action

r as it swooped down upon us, coming to a sudden h

shouted Winter, in

irate; for it was indeed he with whom we were now face to face. "It would have deep

ments! What is it you

ny money you may happen to have about y

of a revolver as he spoke, and he now li

l hand over to me all articles of value in your possession, I will leave your car untouched. If, on the contrary, you decline to oblige me, I shall be under the disagreeable necessity of ruining that very handsome car yo

politeness, which made Winter writhe. He did

ke up your minds. Yo

car," and his fingers played with the revolver i

whispered to Winter. "I

aid the stranger again; "d

st," jerked out Winter, al

insist upon seeing the linings of your pockets; and I need hardly warn you that it will be extremely undesirable for you to make any movement liable to misconstruction. This toy"-he lifted

mask he wore, that I felt I should be unable to recognize it again.

laid his note-case, his watch and chain, and sovereign-purse upon the car in front of the highwayman, and, in obedience to a further command, added the diamond which shone upon his little finger, and another which adorned his shirt-front, to the pile. Then he resumed his place in the car, and I passed through a similar humiliating ordeal. All

o relieve you of my unwelcome society," the Pirate remarked, as I ret

as still in happy ignorance of the contretemps which had befallen us. Swathed in rugs, he was propped up on the seat behind us slumbering peacefully. A s

e can we do?"

nel!" shoute

he Pirate. "Does your friend re

to be a party to it," I replied.

him less roughly than I

are that he is exceedingly annoyed if awa

d? Colonel Maitl

him?" sa

a very excellent dinner which he ordered, and for which-doubtless by an oversight-he left me to

r turned. He waved the hand which was disengaged, and in a moment he was gone, attaining at

r. We could not watch it for long; as in fifteen seconds it was out of s

h felt better, at least I think so; for, without rhyme or reason, Winter burst into a fit of laughter, and

aughing, Winter tu

whether it is the Colonel who is asleep or myself. I feel as if I ha

fortune of so early an introduction to the Motor Pirate, however. The Colonel will be qu

w the amusing side of our adventure more

on to St. Albans, and givin

ditatively. "I think pe

replied i

ace it is after

hat? We di

e slumbering warrior. "We could hardly explain the reason why the Colonel slept so

red an

eld up by one man, and forced to hand over to him all our valuables, well it-er-it hardly seems

lled to agr

o ourselves. I have no desire to provide anoth

t down quietly under my loss if

, as he set our car in motion once more. "I did no

propose?" I c

and soda, when we have deposited the Colonel safel

Albans, where the road to Watford makes a junction with that on which we had come from town. Here Winter pulle

e fellow went," he answered, in reply to

rd in the distance the regular beat of a pet

te, he won't get much

"Cannot you recognize the rattle of Mannering's old car? I should know it

came within range of his

ou, Man

a puncture? Can I be

ent. My eyes at once convinced me that my ears had played me false. There was no mistaking Mannering's lumbering old car for the graceful shape of the Motor Pirate's vehicle. I resumed my seat, taking my nerves seriously to task for genera

swooped by me with about as much noise as a humming-top might make. It must have been travelling eighty miles an hour at least. Reckless sort of devil the driver must be too. He hadn't a single light. I suppose hi

mly; "and I fancy Sutgrove would n

he been doing?"

bed back into his seat; "but if you will come up to my place as

on our homeward way. We had not much further to go. In

"Here we are, Colonel," in

as he awakened with a start.

you safely home to your ow

ep the dust out of 'em, and-- You will come in for a peg, of course," h

there had been another in the drawing-room, I should have accepted forthwith

sual callous disregard of the mere f

on. Indeed it was with difficulty

house of entertainment," I remarked, as the Colonel opened his

one thing you may rest assured. So long as that bin of port holds out, your house

et the car in motion and wheeled out of the drive. "How he co

thought I had seen a form I knew very well make a brief appearance. But we left the windo