He was aware of an instantaneous loss of heart, a subsidence of the elation which had upheld him throughout the adventure; and to escape this, to forget or overcome it, took immediately to his heels, scampering madly for the road, oppressed with fear lest he should find the girl gone--with the jewels. That she should prove untrue, faithless, lacking even that honor which proverbially obtains in the society of criminals--a consideration of such a possibility was intolerable, as much so as the suspense of ignorance. He could not, would not, believe her capable of ingratitude so rank; and fought fiercely, unreasoningly, against the conviction that she would have followed her thievish instincts and made off with the booty.... A judgment meet and right upon him, for his madness! Heart in mouth, he reached the gates, passing through without discovering her, and was struck dumb and witless with relief when she stepped quietly from the shadows of a low branching tree, offering him a guiding hand. "Come," she said quietly. "This way." Without being exactly conscious of what he was about he caught the hand in both his own. "Then," he exulted almost passionately,--"then you didn't----" His voice choked in his throat. Her face, momentarily upturned to his, gleamed pale and weary in the dreary light; the face of a tired child, troubled, saddened; yet with eyes inexpressibly sweet. She turned away, tugging at her hand. "You doubted me, after all!" she commented, a trifle bitterly. "I--no! You misunderstand me. Believe me, I----" "Ah, don't protest. What does it make or mar, whether or not you trusted me?... You have," she added quietly, "the jewels safe enough, I suppose?" He stopped short, aghast. "I! The jewels!" "I slipped them in your coat pocket before----" Instantly her hand was free, Maitland ramming both his own into the side pockets of his top-coat. "They're safe!" She smiled uncertainly. "We have no time," said she. "Can you drive--?" They were standing by the side of her car, which had been cunningly hidden in the gloom beneath a spreading tree on the further side of the road. Maitland, crestfallen, offered his hand; the tips of her fingers touched his palm lightly as she jumped in. He hesitated at the step. "You wish me to?" She laughed lightly. "Most assuredly. You may assure yourself that I shan't try to elude you again----" "I would I might be sure of that," he said, steadying his voice and seeking her eyes. "Procrastination won't make it any more assured." He stepped up and settled himself in the driver's seat, grasping throttle and steering-wheel; the great machine thrilled to his touch like a live thing, then began slowly to back out into the road. For an instant it seemed to hang palpitant on dead center, then shot out like a hound unleashed, _ventre-à-terre_,--Brooklyn miles away over the hood.