He imagined that he was making enough noise to rouse the neighbours for blocks around. No time was to be lost in self-commiseration, however. He hurriedly dragged out a ladder, which he managed to place against the window-sill without accident. "Here it is," she whispered excitedly. The next instant a heavy object dropped at his feet with a crash. "Oh!" she exclaimed with horror, "my perfume bottles!" "Good Lord!" he gasped. "I thought you were going to catch it. Oh, here's the ladder. Do you think I'll fall? Oh, oh!" "Don't be afraid. Climb out, dear--and hurry!" She was brave enough in the crisis. While he held the bottom of the ladder she scrambled through the window and hurried downward. Before she reached the bottom he lifted her from the ladder in his strong arms and held her close for a moment. "Take the ladder down, dearest," she whispered between kisses. "I don't want mother to know I left that way--not just yet,--nor Mr. Windomshire, either." "Come this way," he whispered, after replacing the ladder. "I left the car just around the corner. Come on, darling, and we'll soon be safe. Don't make a noise!" "Goodness, isn't it dark! What a horrid night! Oh, what's that?" "Gad, I thought I heard something over there in the croquet ground. Sounded like some one mixing it up with a wicket. Quick! Out this way!" He had her hand in his, and was rushing ruthlessly through flower-beds toward the big gate, her travelling bag banging against his knee with the insistence of a hundredweight. Panting and gasping for breath, they finally floundered into the roadway, and dashed off through the muddy surface toward the unseen automobile. She was half fainting with the panic of excitement as he started to lift her into the tonneau of the car. "No, no! Please let me sit with you in the front seat," she implored. She had her way, and a moment later he was up beside her, both wrapped in the oil-cloths, the drizzle blowing in their hot faces. "We're off, thank God!" he whispered joyously, as the car leaped forward under his hand. "I wonder--oh, dear, how I wonder what mamma will say," she was crying in his ear. Dauntless grinned happily as the car shot onward through the blackness of the night. Its lanterns were dark and cold, but he knew the road. CHAPTER II THE FLYERS CATCH THE FLYER