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lonely roads； of a rushing motor…car driven by a lovely girl； of the
awful thing hidden in the car behind her。
Dully he recognized that the opportunity for which he had watched
and waited so patiently had come and gone a dozen times； for Deede
Dawson had now quite relaxed his former wary care。
It was as though he supposed all danger over； as though in the
reaction after an enormous strain he could think of nothing but the
immediate relief。 He hardly gave a single glance at Dunn； whose
faintest movement before had never escaped him。 He had even put his
pistol back in his pocket； and at almost any moment Dunn； with his
unusual strength and agility； could have seized and mastered him。
But for such an enterprise Dunn had no longer any spirit； for all
his mind was taken up by that one picture so clear in his thoughts
of Ella in her great car driving the dead man through the night。
〃She must know；〃 he said to himself。 〃She must； or she would never
have gone off like that at that time … she can't know； it's
impossible； or she would never have dared。〃
And again it seemed to him that this doubt was driving him mad。
Deede Dawson entered the house and got a bottle of whisky and a
syphon of soda…water and mixed himself a drink。 For the first time
since Ella's departure he seemed to remember Dunn's presence。
〃Oh； there you are；〃 he said。
Dunn did not answer。 He stood moodily on the threshold； wondering
why he did not rush upon the other； and with his knee upon his chest；
his hands about his throat； force him to answer the question that
was still whispering； shouting； screaming itself into his ears：
〃Does she know what it is she drives with her on that big car through
the black and lonely night？〃
〃Like a drink？〃 asked Deede Dawson。
Dunn shook his head； and it came to him that he did not attack Deede
Dawson and force the truth from him because he dared not； because he
was afraid； because he feared what the answer might be。
〃There's a tool…shed at the bottom of the garden；〃 Deede Dawson said
to him。 〃You can sleep there； tonight。 You'll find some sacks you
can make a bed of。〃
Without a word in reply Dunn turned and stumbled away。 He felt very
tired … physically exhausted … and the idea of a bed； even of sacks
in an outhouse； became all at once extraordinarily attractive。
He found the place without difficulty； and； making a pile of the
sacks； flung himself down on them and was asleep almost at once。
But almost as promptly he awoke again； for he had dreamed of Ella
driving her car through the night towards some strange peril from
which in his dream he was trying frantically and ineffectively to
save her when he awoke。
So it was all through the night。
His utter and complete exhaustion compelled him to sleep； and every
time some fresh； fantastic dream in which Ella and the huge motor…car
and the dreadful burden she had with her always figured； awoke him
with a fresh start。
But towards morning he fell into a heavy sleep from which presently
he awoke to find it broad daylight and Deede Dawson standing on the
threshold of the shed with his perpetually smiling lips and his
cold； unsmiling eyes。
〃Well； my man； had a good sleep？〃 he said。
〃I was tired；〃 Dunn answered。
〃Yes； we had a busy night；〃 agreed Deede Dawson。 〃I slept well；
too。 I've been wondering what to do with you。 Of course； I ought
to hand you over to the police； and it's rather a risk taking on a
man of your character； but I've decided to give you a chance。
Probably you'll misuse it。 But I'll give you an opportunity as
gardener and chauffeur here。 You can drive a car； you say？〃
Dunn nodded。
〃That's all right；〃 said Deede Dawson。
〃You shall have your board and lodging； and I'll get you some decent
clothes instead of those rags； and if you prove satisfactory and
make yourself useful you'll find I can pay well。 There will be
plenty of chances for you to make a little money … if you know how
to take them。〃
〃When it's money；〃 growled Dunn； 〃you give me the chance； and see。〃
〃I think；〃 added Deede Dawson； 〃I think it might improve your looks
if you shaved。〃
Dunn passed his hand over the tangle of hair that hid his features
so effectually。
〃What for？〃 he asked。
〃Oh； well： please yourself；〃 answered Deede Dawson； 〃I don't know
that it matters； and perhaps you have reasons of your own for
preferring a beard。 Come on up to the house now and I'll tell Mrs。
Dawson to give you some breakfast。 And you might as well have a
wash； too； perhaps … unless you object to that as well as to shaving。〃
Dunn rose without answering； made his toilet by shaking off some of
the dust that clung to him； and followed his new employer out of the
tool…house into the open air。
It was a fresh and lovely morning； and coming towards them down one
of the garden paths was Ella； looking as fresh and lovely as the
morning in a dainty cotton frock with lace at her throat and wrists。
That she could possibly have spent the night tearing across country
in a powerful car conveying a dead man to an unknown destination；
appeared to Dunn a clean impossibility； and for a moment he almost
supposed he had been mistaken in thinking he recognized her voice。
But he knew he had not； that he had made no mistake； that it had
indeed been Ella he had seen dash away into the darkness on her
strange and terrible errand。
〃Oh； my daughter；〃 said Deede Dawson carelessly； noticing Dunn's
surprise。 〃Oh； yes； she's back … you didn't expect to see her this
morning。 Well； Ella； Dunn's surprised to see you back so soon；
aren't you； Dunn？〃
Dunn did not answer； for a kind of vertigo of horror had come upon
him； and for a moment all things revolved about him in a whirling
circle wherein the one fixed point was Ella's gentle lovely face
that sometimes； he thought； had a small round hole with blue edges
in the very centre of the forehead； above the nose。
It was her voice； clear and a little loud； that called him back to
himself。
〃He's not well；〃 she was saying。 〃He's going to faint。〃
〃I'm all right；〃 he muttered。 〃It was nothing； nothing； it's only
that I've had nothing to eat for so long。〃
〃Oh； poor man！〃 exclaimed Ella。
〃Come up to the house；〃 Deede Dawson said。
〃Breakfast's ready；〃 Ella said。 〃Mother told me to find you。〃
〃Has the woman come yet？〃 Deede Dawson asked。 〃If she has； you
might tell her to give Dunn some breakfast。 I've just been telling
him I'm willing to give him another chance and to take him on as
gardener and chauffeur； so you can keep an eye on him and see if he
works well。〃
Ella was silent for a moment； but her expression was grave and a
little puzzled as though she did not quite understand this and
wondered what it meant； and when she looked up at her stepfather；
Dunn was certain there was both distrust and suspicion in her manner。
〃I suppose；〃 she said then； 〃last night seemed to you a good
recommendation？〃 As she spoke she glanced at her wrists where the
bruises still showed； and Deede Dawson's smile broadened。
〃One should always be ready to give another chance to a poor fellow
who's down；〃 he said。 〃He may run st