No reply. Steele returned to his own car and descending into the creek bed worked his way around her. When he was on the far bank, he rejoined her again, carrying a coil of rope. One end of this he fastened securely to the rear axle of her runabout. "What are you going to do, sir?" she demanded, whirling about on her seat and glaring angrily. "Drag you out." "You'll do nothing of the kind!" "Oh, yes," was his calm response. "Against my wishes, sir?" "Certainly." "This is abominable!" "Perhaps." "I'll put on the brakes." And put them on she did, with a savage jerk. But nevertheless Weir's powerful machine drew her car slowly up out of the creek upon the road, where he forced it about until it pointed towards San Mateo. Then he retied the rope on the front axle. "Now for town," said he. "Why did you haul me out of there, I demand to know?" "Why? Because you were a public obstruction blocking traffic. If you had remained there long enough you would have become a public nuisance; and it's the duty of every citizen to abate nuisances. No one would call you a nuisance, of course,--not to your face, at any rate. But travelers might have felt some annoyance if compelled to drive around you; they might even have had you arrested when they learned you were acting out of willful stubbornness." In a sort of incredulous wonder, of charmed horror, the girl heard herself thus unfeelingly described. "You--you barbarian!" she cried. "Ready? We're off for town now." "I'll run my car in the ditch and wreck it if you so much as pull it another inch!" "I don't like to be frustrated in my generous acts; they are so few, according to common report. Well, we'll leave the car, but it must be drawn off the road." When this was accomplished, Weir replaced the rope in his machine. Then he returned to her. "What now? Do you intend to sit here in the hot sunshine, to say nothing of missing your dinner?" "That doesn't concern you." Weir shook his head gravely. "You must be saved from your own folly," said he. Before she had realized what was happening, he had opened the door of the runabout, swung her out upon the ground and was marching her towards his own machine. Stupefaction at this quick, atrocious deed left her an automaton; and before she had fully regained her control they were speeding towards San Mateo, she at his side. "This is outrageous!" she gasped. Steele Weir did not speak until they entered town. "Where is your home?" he asked. "Turn to the right at the end of the street."