"THE telegraph," said Inspector Forrest, sententiously "is even more speedy than the Motor Pirate."
"Unless you want to send a message from Regent Street to the City," I remarked; "in which case one would save time by employing a sloth as messenger."
The inspector waved aside the objection as frivolous. He occupied an easy chair opposite me; he was smoking one of my best cigars with every sign of active enjoyment; he sipped his glass of claret—he rarely touched anything stronger, he informed me—with the air of a connoisseur.
"We shall beat him with the telegraph," said he. "Clearly he has one retreat where he can put up his car in safety. Probably he has more than one. It is not impossible for him to have several. There might even be a number of Motor Pirates, members of the same gang, but selecting different parts of the country upon which to prey. The telegraph will soon settle these points for us. When next he makes his appearance we shall be able to keep watch upon him, to note, if not the exact spot, at least in what part of the country he makes his appearance. Even if it should be found impossible to arrest him in his progress, he is bound to leave some traces behind him which will enable us to get upon his track."
"He does not seem to have left many behind him at present," I replied.
"No," said the inspector thoughtfully, as he rose and examined the map spread out upon the table. "Yet there are certainly grounds for believing that he has gone to earth somewhere in this neighbourhood. The Hertfordshire police may have been nearer the mark than you thought when they arrested you."
"You don't mean to say that you still suspect me?" I cried.
"Not for one instant," he answered promptly. "The meaning I meant to convey was that, quite unknown to you, the Motor Pirate may very well be your near neighbour. I suppose there is no one residing near whom you would consider a likely object of suspicion?"
There flashed across my mind the strange similarity between Mannering's voice and the Motor Pirate's. But the notion was so absurd I was ashamed to mention it. I assured the inspector I knew of no one.
"At all events, my belief is strong enough to keep me in this district until I hear something further," he declared, as he finished the contents of his glass and glanced at his watch.
Just then I caught sight of Mannering coming up the path through the garden towards my front door.
"You had better stay a little longer," I said to the inspector. "Here is another man coming who may be able to give you some more details of the Pirate. He has seen him, and as he has been a longer resident here than myself, he may be able to tell you more about the people round than I can."
"A motorist?" he asked.
"Yes, named Mannering," I replied. "He is the man I told you about, whom I consider to be my rival, you know."
The inspector's eyes twinkled. "I shouldn't let him drive me into any more adventures like last night's, Mr. Sutgrove," he advised. "If you were ten years older—my age, you know—you wouldn't need the warning, A bout of rheumatic fever would be small consolation for the loss of the lady."
I could not reply, for at that moment Mannering entered.
"Glad to see you home again, Sutgrove," he said heartily. "I'm not the only one either. Miss Maitland asked me to call, for after seeing you in such bad company this morning—— Hullo! I beg your pardon, I thought you were alone." He stopped suddenly on catching sight of Inspector Forrest.
I introduced my guest and Mannering acknowledged the introduction easily.
"Inspector Forrest will assure you that I have only been unfortunate enough to have been the object of our local constabulary's misplaced zeal. They took me for our mutual friend the Motor Pirate."
"Did they though? What an almighty spoof!" said Mannering. "First time I ever heard of a man being run in for robbing himself on the high-road. Beats Gilbert!"
"Mr. Sutgrove did not see the point of the joke at first," said the inspector. I saw that as he spoke he was taking note of Mannering in much the same way as he had taken stock of me at the police office.
Mannering appeared to be quite unconscious of his regard, for he replied—
"Don't suppose I should have relished such a mistake myself. Anyway," he continued, turning to me, "you have the consolation of knowing that you are not the only victim of police enterprise. I see from the papers quite half a dozen motor pirates have been run in. They may have the real one amongst them; but as his car has so far escaped capture, I doubt it."
"So do I," I remarked. "And for the additional reason that I have a sort of presentiment that when his capture is brought about, I am going to have a hand in it."
"What do you say to that, Inspector?" he answered. "Are you going to leave the job to amateurs?"
"I never said 'no' to the offer of assistance in running down a criminal," was the reply.
"I have sworn," I remarked obstinately, "that I will not rest until he is safe under lock and key."
"You had better be prepared," answered Mannering. "I should judge him to be a bit of a fighter."
"Next time I meet him, I'll take all risks to come to close quarters," I continued.
"You haven't a car to do a hundred miles an hour, have you?" he said in a bantering voice.
"My plan is a simple one. I merely propose to go out for night rides until he finds me," I said.
"I had some thoughts of amusing myself in the same way," he answered. "But, judging from your experience this morning, the only thing likely to happen is being arrested on suspicion."
"I'll take my chance of that," I said. "But before discussing the matter, perhaps you could tell Inspector Forrest whether there's any spot in this neighbourhood likely to serve as a hiding-place for the Pirate's car?"
A smile lit up Mannering's face. "There's the old coach-house at the bottom of the paddock next to my cottage. It has a door opening on to the main road. There would be room, too, in my stables, if I had not fitted them up as workshops for my tyre experiments."
"Stop rotting," I said, "the inspector really means it."
He became grave instantly. "Sorry I can't suggest a likely spot," he said, and then for a few minutes he answered the questions the detective put to him as to what he had seen of the Pirate.
He could give little information of any value, and when Inspector Forrest had elicited all that he could, he thanked Mannering and rose to depart. I accompanied him to the garden gate. He appeared a little loth to leave me. Twice he turned away and returned to make some objectless remark to me. The third time he blurted out—
"About that suggestion of yours—taking night rides on the chance of being held up——"
"Yes?" I said and waited.
"I wish I had a good fast car at my disposal," he continued earnestly; "but the Yard would never run to it."
I felt a pleasant thrill run through me. It would be good to have his companionship and assistance in working out my self-imposed vow.
"If you can make use of it, I will see that the best car money can buy is placed at your disposal," I replied eagerly.
He took my hand and shook it warmly. "I'll see what my chief says," he replied. "When can I see you again?"
"I shall be leaving here at eight and returning well—between ten and eleven."
"Expect me about midnight," he said, and without another word or backward glance he stepped out in the direction of St. Albans.
I returned to Mannering, who did not, however, favour me with a very lengthy visit. Possibly he found my manner rather cool, but the fact was, that try as I would to curb my feelings, I could not but resent something of an air of proprietorship which I thought appeared in his tone when referring to Miss Maitland.
When he had departed, I got out all the catalogues of motor-cars I could lay my hands upon, and studied them until it was time to dress for dinner. Several times I thought of breaking the appointment, for I knew I should have to give some explanation of my arrest, and how to do so without appearing an egregious ass I did not know. Finally I determined, if the opportunity were afforded me, to tell the exact truth, at least to the only person whose opinion I cared about.
I was glad afterwards that I had not sent my excuses, for I was lucky enough to find Miss Maitland alone in the drawing-room when I arrived. It seemed, too, as if she had determined to make amends for the mental torture she had unwittingly caused me the previous evening. So it happened that when she questioned me as to how I managed to get into such a predicament, I told her as clearly as I could of the state of my feelings. It was a blundering, halting statement I made, of that I am certain, and before I had completed it Colonel Maitland's entry closed my mouth. But I think she understood, for there was a little flush on her cheek when we went into dinner which had not been there when I greeted her, and a pretty air of seriousness in the glances she bestowed upon me, which I had never noticed before.
As far as the Colonel was concerned, he did not worry me for any explanations. He was bent on enlarging my knowledge of gastronomy, and having a new cook, he was much too deeply interested in the menu to spare any thoughts for my erratic movements. I am afraid, though, his teaching was wasted on me; for while I managed to reply to his conversation, I had not the slightest idea what I was eating. My principal longing was to get the meal over in order that I might finish the conversation which had opened so auspiciously. The opportunity was not afforded me on that occasion, however, but the evening did not pass without my obtaining a glimmering of hope.
When Miss Maitland rose I asked her, in a voice which was low enough not to reach her father's ear, whether she would answer me one question.
"What is it?" she said, and her face flushed a little as she came to the door.
"Is there any one else?" I asked, my hand on the knob.
"What right have you to ask?" she answered.
"No right, I only ask it of your mercy," I replied.
She hesitated, then with flushed cheeks and a soft whispered "No one," she escaped through the door.
Over the port I took my new-found courage in both hands, and asked the Colonel's consent to my suit. I gained it. He even expressed the hope that I should succeed, but he warned me at the same time that I must not depend upon him for any assistance. He declared himself to be clay in the hands of his daughter.
"Evie always had her own way from the cradle," he declared, "and always will have her own way. If I were to say that I thought you would make her a good husband, I'm not sure whether she would not consider it a sufficient excuse to accept Mannering straight away. Personally I should much prefer you, but there's no counting on a woman's tastes, either in men or wines. And Evie is a perfect woman, God bless her!"
I drained my glass to the toast and made an excuse to get away to the drawing-room. But I did not see her alone again that evening. Winter and his wife had walked over. Mannering did not put in an appearance, and his absence was something to be thankful for; and when I held her hand in mine as I bade her good night, I said—
"You have told me there is no one else. Is there any hope for me?"
She made no pretence of misunderstanding my meaning. She looked at me saucily, her lips parted lightly, her eyes brimming with laughter.
"Come and ask me when—when you have caught the Motor Pirate," she said, and with that answer I was fain to be content.
Thus it happened that I found myself fully committed to the work which was at that time engaging the attention of the whole of the police throughout the land. I welcomed the task. Luck might be on my side, especially if my new friend the detective inspector's assistance proved to be available.
And as regards assurance on this point, I had not long to wait before my mind was at ease. I found him awaiting me at my garden gate when I returned home. I invited him in so eagerly that he smiled.
"There's no need to ask if you are still as keen on this job as you were this afternoon," he said, as he entered my snuggery.
"Keener than ever," I asseverated.
"Then I hope between us we may be successful in running our man to ground."
"Have you heard anything further?" I inquired, anxiously.
"Nothing of the slightest value. A number of people have been through our hands, but of the Pirate—not a sign."
"Perhaps we shall get a clue in the morning," I hazarded.
"At present," he declared, "there's not a shred of a clue to work upon. Of course at any moment information may come to hand. He may endeavour to dispose of some of his plunder, or he may reappear, but until then——"
"What do you suggest?" I asked.
"I shall stay and thoroughly explore this district until I hear something further," he answered.
"I am thinking of going into town in the morning, to see if a more powerful car than the one I possess at present is to be obtained," I told him later. "I am hoping to get one capable of doing fifty or even sixty miles an hour at a pinch, so as to be prepared for emergencies. Meanwhile, if you like to make this house your headquarters, I shall be delighted to put you up."
"Do you really mean that, Mr. Sutgrove?" he asked.
"Of course I do," I replied.
He hesitated a moment, then he accepted my invitation. Luck was on my side after all.