The Motor Pirate

he side of the road, just as I had left it, its silent owner sitting rigi

rrest!" I sh

ilent as

er half an hour had not elapsed since my departure. Yet many things might happen in hal

explained more fully the circumstances under which we had discovered the crime which had been commi

re was nothing visible. Each taking a lamp from my car, the sergeant and I set out to search the hedges and ditches on eac

to the car, the s

a clue, and thought he would wa

road was a large button. I picked it up. I saw at once that it had been torn violently away from the garment to which it had been attached, for

space thus laid bare there lay a lamp smashed to pieces. I picked up the frame, and saw that it was one of the lamps taken from the oth

One thought was in both our minds, and

rate has been

time, and on his return to complete the

his sentence, but glanced appr

't see what he can have do

ily lowering his voice. "I-I begin to belie

man!" I s

I knew it would be fatal to allow myself to become infected by the very obvious funk which had

utes, while I go two or three hundred yards further

e me," stammered the sergeant. "It's bad e

r," I replied roughly. "Ther

nd being left here alone

etter come along with

with a similar result. Our progress was brought to a termination by our meeting with a trap containing the doctor, who was accompanied by a couple of constables. When we recognized who was approaching, the change that came over the demeanour of the sergeant was astonishing. All his courage came back

st now, sir. You won't m

wered. "I was only one

eel creepy," he said, jerking hi

until the doctor had completed his examination of the si

"The bullet appears to have passed straight along the longitudinal si

extensive examination, I supp

lace were availa

or acquiescing, arrangements were at once made for conveying the body the

ited at the inn for a long while after the melancholy cortège arrived, and that I felt curiously dazed amidst all the bustle caused by the

edgerows, a soft white mist hung low down over the meadows, all nature was so serene and peaceful that it was difficult to imagine that the night which had passed had been s

nspector Forrest,

g," he

nd the police wild with excitement, but entirely without any information as to what had become of the missing detective. I found, however, that they did not share my forebodings as to anything serious having happened to him. Their v

it, and went straight to bed. I was d

urse myself for having thought of resting. I felt certain that if it had been myself who was missing, Forrest would not have slept until he had discovered

ar as Towcester. I had a chat with the sergeant of police, and found that, though search parties had scoured the country round for miles, no

y a secondary consideration now. I had grown to like him so much, that the idea that he had met with any mischance knocked me over complet

. Winter's to-night, sir, wit

d completely pass

able to go, Wi

sir?" said the man respectfully. He w

all never see him ali

hope, sir," he responded sympa

ilson," remarked a cheery v

jumped to my feet wi

t!" I cried. "Co

y?" replied Fo

I answered. "W

e he presented as he entered the

trowsers, and a battered hat which barely held together upon his head. He was

?" I could not but ask, wh

sacrificed to Hygeia, I expect to be presentable enough to dine with Mr. Winter to-night. I've been

I poured out nearly a tumbler of the neat spirit, and felt al

hat, I shall certainly be una

no longer. I burst out w

t has happened to you? Wh

you gave me all that whisky. Y

, and, putting the curb on my curiosity, I turned him ove

roachable evening clothes, there was no time for him to give me

ith the exception of sixpenny worth of rum and a crust of bread

nters are punctual people," I remarked as

ing to the plight in which I returned to your place? I should not care for it to get

seen him?" I

ave a full, true and particular account of all that's happened. Until then-w

other women were Miss Maitland and Mrs. Winter's twin sister, who reproduced the hair, lips, eyes and dimple with such exactness that it was always a puzzle to me how Winter had managed to make up his mind between them. About them were gathered Colonel Maitland, Mannering, Winter himself, and another man whom he had brought down with him from town that day. The subject of conversation, I learned afterwards, had been entirely devoted to For

ing obviously resented the arrangement added a great deal to my good humour. The fact of Forrest being the lion of the evening did

cornered, he could always fall back upon the excuse of

omething which, I found afterwards, had some bearing on future events. This person was a diamond merchant in his business hours, and afte

d to hold up the Brighton Parcels Mail to-morrow night, he would

quite recovered from the temporary shock which F

cularly valuable collection of stones by re

thing to do," c

see, no one knows anything about it except the principal, who takes the packet to the post office. He registers it at St. Martin's, and the packet is immediately placed amongst a number of parcels of all sorts, shapes and sizes; an

he turned in. But when we were back in my snuggery, I found that he considered it necessary to report himself at St. Albans. I was on the telephone, so I suggested its use, and he jumped at the idea.