"You're the sort of chap I can't stand at any price," muttered Lupin. "I'll have some fun with you, one of these days. You're ugly, you're fat, you're heavy; in short, I don't like you." And he added, aloud, "You are wrong not to answer me, Monsieur le Comte. I was speaking in your own interest: just as we were stepping in, I saw a motor come into sight, behind us, on the horizon. Did you see it?" "No, why?" "Nothing." "Still. . . ." "No, nothing at all . . . a mere remark. . . . Besides, we are ten minutes ahead . . . and our car is at least a forty-horse-power." "It's a sixty," said the German, looking at him uneasily from the corner of his eye. "Oh, then we're all right!" They were climbing a little slope. When they reached the top, the count leant out of the window: "Damn it all!" he swore. "What's the matter?" asked Lupin. The count turned to him and, in a threatening voice: "Take care! If anything happens, it will be so much the worse for you." "Oho! It seems the other's gaining on us! . . . But what are you afraid of, my dear count? It's no doubt a traveller . . . perhaps even some one they are sending to help us." "I don't want any help," growled the German. He leant out again. The car was only two or three hundred yards behind. He said to his men, pointing to Lupin. "Bind him. If he resists. . . ." He drew his revolver. "Why should I resist, O gentle Teuton?" chuckled Lupin. And he added, while they were fastening his hands, "It is really curious to see how people take precautions when they need not and don't when they ought to. What the devil do you care about that motor? Accomplices of mine? What an idea!" Without replying, the German gave orders to the driver: "To the right! . . . Slow down! . . . Let them pass. . . . If they slow down also, stop!" But, to his great surprise, the motor seemed, on the contrary, to increase its speed. It passed in front of the car like a whirlwind, in a cloud of dust. Standing up at the back, leaning over the hood, which was lowered, was a man dressed in black. He raised his arm. Two shots rang out. The count, who was blocking the whole of the left window, fell back into the car. Before even attending to him, the two men leapt upon Lupin and finished securing him. "Jackasses! Blockheads!" shouted Lupin, shaking with rage. "Let me go, on the contrary! There now, we're stopping! But go after him, you silly fools, catch him up! . . . It's the man in black, I tell you, the murderer! . . . Oh, the idiots! . . ." They gagged him. Then they attended to the count. The wound did not appear to be serious and was soon dressed. But the patient, who was in a very excited state, had an attack of fever and became delirious. It was eight o'clock in the morning. They were in the open country, far from any village. The men had no information as to the exact object of the journey. Where were they to go? Whom were they to send to?