“Matter of five or six minutes, then,” said Shelley with a smile; and settled down to enjoy the scenery.

Chapter XXI

Chapter XXI

The Hunt Is Up

Violet awoke from a deep sleep which had been disturbed by the most absurd and ridiculous dreams. Her face expressed the most complete bewilderment, as one who says: “What am I doing here, and where is it anyway?” Then, suddenly, memory came back; there flowed into her mind a thought of her dreadful plight, and she had to fight hard to keep back the tears that sprang unbidden to her eyes.

Above her loomed the bearded figure of her captor. He grasped her shoulder roughly in a large hand, and had obviously shaken her into waking.

“You must get up,” he muttered viciously.

“Why?” Violet was still half asleep, and she rubbed her eyes like a child just getting out of bed on a cold morning.

“It is necessary,” he said, speaking slowly and deliberately, almost as if explaining something very difficult and complicated to the child that she appeared to be, “that we should leave this house at once.”

“But I don’t want to leave,” Violet objected. “I am very comfortable where I am, thank you.”

“You will do as I tell you,” he said roughly. “It is enough that I tell you that we leave this house at once. I order you, and you obey. It is only on that agreement that we can proceed at all. Do you understand what I am saying to you?”

“I suppose so,” Violet agreed. “In any case, as I seem to be quite helpless in your hands, I suppose I must do as you tell me.”

He positively purred his satisfaction at this sudden change of front.

“Ah,” he said, “that is better. That is much better, thank you, Miss Arnell. If you will just adopt a sensible attitude like that—ah, then we shall get somewhere. I might tell you that if you try to dispute my right to tell you what to do…” And he paused significantly.

“What will you do?” Violet’s question sounded quite innocent; but actually she was playing for time, realising that this decision on his part must be an indication that the pursuit was near at hand.

“What will I do?” He laughed harshly in tones that grated unpleasantly on her ear. “I will proceed, my dear Miss Arnell, to give you a little injection with a delightful little drug which I have in my possession. That drug will ensure that you will take no interest in the proceedings for—oh, for a considerable time.” Again that harsh laugh rang out; and Violet found herself, in spite of her steely determination not to flinch, to show no fear of this evil man, shuddering at the dreadful menace of his tones. He positively exuded evil, as if he were the personification of evil himself.