The Washington times., 1918-06-02
Copyright by star Company.

country, the Honorable AlgernOn
" Knox was gliding back to London
in his long, gray racing car. Specialized
and with disfguring cap, his head and
shoulders only visible, he seemed, indeed,
to have gained what he desired-absolute
and complete detachment from the world.
From eight o'clock until now-nearly five
o'clock on a November afternoon-he had
been alone with his thoughts, and very
troublesome thoughts they were. The sole
object Of this solitary excursion had been
to ask himself one simple question-was
he in love with Adele de Hagon? He was
crawling back to London now with that
question still unanswered. All his self.
analysis had yielded no result. He was
no nearer the truth than when he had left
his rooms early that morning. AZ that he
was absolutely certain of was this, that
since he had known her the idlest firta-
ton had bored him. But was it, after all,
the real thing?
He was about thirty miles from London
when a loud and persistent hooting be-
hind induced him to draw with more than
usual scrupulousness to his own side Of
the road. He knew quite well that with
a touch of his foot he could have distanced
any possible pursuit, but he was in no
humoR> Just then for anything more than
crawling A large, open touring car came
swinging past him, shockingly driven and
swaying from side to side. He looked at
it with the craftsmans contempt. The
man who was driving was bending over
the wheel, and he, as well as his two pas
sengers, was to all appearance, sober
enough. Yet he was driving, nOtwith-
standing his obvious inexperience; at a
pace which was ridiculously dangerous.
Knox shrugged his shoulders and followed
sedately behind. Yet his first fit of anger
had turned to a certain curiosity. There
was something unusual about these men
and their obvious desire for haste.
A mile further on he came up with them.
The car was standing by the side of the
road. Two men were bending over the
bonnet; the other was standing gloomily
on one side Knox threw out his clutch
and glided up to their side.
Anything wrong?" he asked calmly.
They hailed him as a deliverer. HeOsaw
then that the trio were exceedingly i'll
assorted. The man who had been driving,
and his present companion, looked like
operatives Of an inferior class in their
best clothes. Their companion, who stood
apart, slim and dark and with the appear
ance of a foreigner, belonged apparently
to Knox's own class. ..
Something's gone wrong with the
blooming engine" the man remarked who
was leaning over the bonnet. 81 can. Just
drive the thing, and that's about all. If
you had moment to spare, guVnor," he
added, looking insinuatingly towards
Knox.
Knox descended and made a somewhat
leisureIy investigation. The three men
watched him nervously. Their anxiety to
he of was almost pathetic. In the ton
neau Of the car was huge kit bag, partly
covered by a rug.
Yours" he pronounced finally, stand
ing up, 'is the type OF car which goes bet
ter with little petrol"
DO you mean to say there amt none
in?" the man who had been driving,
gasped.
Not a drop" Knox assured him.
The two men who had been standing by
the car got to work in almost frantic haste,
but even then they only delayed matters
by their ignorance. Finally, Knox showed
them how to unscrew the cap of the petrol
tin and to pour down its contents. No
sooner was this task completed than one
of the men threw the empty tin over the
handle and the third man, who seemed to
wish to keep in the background as much as
possible, mounted to his seat He alone
offered Knox any thanks.
I'VE are very much obliged to you," he
cried out to Knox, raising his hat. Good
afternoon, sir, thank you"
Knox watched them disappear before
he attempted to start his own car There
were several small points about the ad-
venture which appealed to his powers Of
observation. Finally, after some mo-
ments' hesitation. he put his car into the
reverse and drove slowly backwards until
he came to some cross roads Then he
turned round and followed the tracks OF
the other car about mile and half back.
The marks were plainly to be seen-theTe
had been a recent shower. They termi
mated at the closed gate of an avenue
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