She heard a low laugh, and then the scraping of a hand as it fumbled for the electric button. The hand groping in the darkness found the switch and flooded the car with light. Kathleen sat bolt upright and uttered a second cry as she saw grinning at her from the opposite side of the car the evil face of Melun. CHAPTER XX THE FARM ON THE HILL For a while Kathleen was too bewildered to say anything, but soon one ugly fact stood out hard and convincing. She had been betrayed. Slowly she gathered all her mental resources together and slowly she looked from Melun to Marie Estelle and back to Melun. During the past few weeks she had learned to expect infamy and even treachery, but she had not looked for any action so villainous as this. As the car went bounding down the hill at an ever-increasing rate of speed Kathleen saw Melun give an appreciative nod to the woman at her side, and she watched a little smile of triumph flit across the woman's mouth. Kathleen could only dimly wonder what this new move meant. That she had been kidnapped she could not doubt, but for precisely what purpose she could not understand, though she judged that she had been taken prisoner with the idea of hurrying Lord Penshurst to a decision. The first shock of Melun's entry over, Kathleen steeled herself against all fear, and calling her pride to her assistance disdained to ask any questions. The silence in the electric-lighted car became, indeed, so oppressive that Melun, who had been waiting for some passionate outburst on Kathleen's part, could bear it no longer. “I suppose,” he said, looking at her with an insolent sneer, “that I owe you an apology for being compelled to treat you in this way?” But Kathleen made no answer; she only looked at him with scorn. “As a matter of fact, I consider it was well and neatly done,” continued Melun. “Excellently planned and excellently carried out. My congratulation to you,” and again he gave Mme. Estelle a little nod. Once more there was silence, but it was Kathleen who broke it now. She was determined to carry the war into the enemy's camp. If she could achieve nothing else, she could at least, by showing a mingled boldness and resignation, cause Melun considerable uneasiness. “I suppose you have put up these things”—and she tapped lightly with her fingers against the blind shutters—“because you were afraid that I might scream or struggle?” “That is precisely the case,” said Melun. “You need have no fear of that,” returned Kathleen. “I give you my word that I will neither call out nor attempt to escape. The women of my family are in the habit of acting bravely and openly.” She intended this as a covert hit at Mme. Estelle, and apparently the shot went home, for she saw the woman redden a little and slightly turn away her head.