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strides when he remembered Ella again； and paused。
Surely he must think of her first； alone and unprotected。 For she
was the woman he loved； and besides； she had summoned him to her
help； and then she was a woman； and at least； the others were men。
All this flood of thoughts； this intuitive grasping of a situation
terrible beyond conception； almost unparalleled in bloody and
dreadful horror； passed through his mind with extreme rapidity。
Once more he turned and began to run … to run as he had never run
before； for now he saw that all depended on the speed with which
he could cover the eight miles that lay between him and Ottam 's
Wood； whether he could still save his father or not。
The district was lonely in the extreme； there was no human
habitation near； no place where he could obtain any help or any
swift means of conveyance。 His one hope must be in his speed； his
feet must be swift to save； not only his own life and his father's；
but his honour； too； and Ella and his old uncle as well； and all
… all hung upon the speed with which he could cover the eight long
miles that lay between him and Brook Bourne Spring in Ottam's Wood。
Even as he ran； as he thought of Ella； he came abruptly to a pause；
wrung with sudden anguish。 For each fleet stride he was making
towards Brook Bourne Spring was taking him further and further away
from Bittermeads just as before each step to Bittermeads had been
taking him further from Ottam's Wood。
He began to run again； even faster than before； and it was towards
Ottam's Wood that he ran； each step taking him further from
Bittermeads and further from the woman he loved in her bitter need
and peril； who looked to him for the help he could not give。 With
pain and anguish he ran on； ran as men have seldom run … as seldom
so much was hung upon their running。
On and on he sped； fleet as the wind； fleet as the light breeze that
blew lightly by。 A solitary villager trudging on some errand in
this lonely place； tells to this day the tale of the bearded；
wild…eyed man who raced so madly by him； raced on and down the long；
straight road till his figure dwindled and vanished in the distance。
A shepherd boy went home with a tale of a strange thing he had seen
of a man running so fast it seemed he was scarcely in sight before
he was gone again。
And except for those two and one other none saw him at all and he
ran his race alone beneath the skies； across the bare country side。
It was at a spot where the path ran between two high hedges that he
came upon a little herd of cows a lad was driving home。
It seemed impossible to pass through that tangle of horns and tails
and plunging hoofs； and so indeed it was； but Dunn took another way；
and with one leap； cleared the first beast clean and alighted on the
back of the second。
Before the startled beast could plunge away he leaped again from
the vantage of its back and landed on the open ground beyond and
so on； darting full speed past the staring driver； whose tale that
he told when he got home caused him to go branded for years as a
liar。
On and on Dunn fled； without stay or pause； at the utmost of his
speed every second of time； every yard of distance。 For he knew
he had need of every ounce of power he possessed or could call to
his aid； since he knew well that all； all； might hang upon a second
less or more； and now four miles lay behind him and four in front。
Still on he raced with labouring lungs and heart near to bursting
… onward still； swift； swift and sure； and now there were six
miles behind and only two in front； and he was beginning to come
to a part of the country that he knew。
Whether he was soon or late he had no idea or how long it was that
he had raced like this along the lonely country road at the full
extremity and limit of his strength。
He dared not take time to glance at his watch； for he knew the
fraction of a second he would thus lose might mean the difference
between in time and too late。 On he ran still and presently he
left the path and took the fields。
But he had forgotten that though the distance might be shorter the
going would be harder； and on the rough grass he stumbled； and
across the bare ground damp earth clung to his boots and hindered
him as though each foot had become laden with lead。
His speed was slower； his effort greater if possible； and when he
came to a hedge he made no effort to leap； but crashed through it
as best he could and broke or clambered or tumbled a path for
himself。
Now Ottam's Wood was very near； and reeling and staggering like a
man wounded to the death but driven by inexorable fate； he plunged
on still； and there was a little froth gathering at the corners of
his mouth and from one of his nostrils came a thin trickle of blood。
Yet still he held on； though in truth he hardly knew any longer why
he ran or what his need for haste； and as he came to the wood round
a spur where a cluster of young beeches grew； he saw a tall； upright；
elderly man walking there； well…dressed and of a neat； soldier…like
appearance。
〃Hallo … there you are … father … 〃 he gasped and fell down； prone
unconscious。
CHAPTER XXVII
FLIGHT AND PURSUIT
When he came to himself he was lying on his back； and bending over
him was his father's familiar face； wearing an expression of great
surprise and wonder； and still greater annoyance。
〃What is the matter？〃 General Dunsmore asked as soon as he saw that
his son's senses were returning to him。 〃Have you all gone mad
together？ You send me a mysterious note to meet you here at three；
you turn up racing and running like an escaped lunatic； and with a
disgusting growth of hair all over your face； so that I didn't know
you till you spoke； and then there's Walter dodging about in the
wood here like a poacher hiding from the keepers。 Are you both
quite mad； Rupert？〃
〃Walter；〃 Rupert repeated； lifting himself on one hand； 〃Walter
… have you seen him？〃
〃Over there；〃 said the general； nodding towards the right。 〃He was
dodging and creeping about for all the world like some poaching
rascal。 I waved； but he didn't see me； and when I tried to overtake
him I lost sight of him somehow in the trees； and found I had come
right out of my way for Brook Bourne Spring。〃
〃Thank God for that；〃 said Rupert fervently as a picture presented
itself to him of his unsuspecting father trying in that lonely wood
to find and overtake the man whose murderous purpose was aimed at
his life。
〃What do you mean？〃 snapped the general。 〃And why have you made
such a spectacle of yourself with all that beard？ Why； I didn't
know you till you spoke … there's Walter there。 What makes him
look like that？〃
For Walter had just come out of the wood about fifty yards to their
right； and when he saw them talking together he understood at once
that in some way or another all his plans had failed。
He was looking at them through a gap in some undergrowth that hid
most of his body； but showed his head and shoulders plainly； and
as he stood there watching them his face was like a fiend's。
〃Walter；〃 the general shouted； and to his son Rupert he said： 〃The
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