An hour later, while I was out in the yard of the inn watching Gibbs going round the car, we suddenly heard the whirr of an approaching motor, and down the street flashed the blue car which we had pursued so hotly on the previous day. It carried the same occupants, with the addition of one person--Mr Gordon-Wright. The latter, in peaked cap and motor-coat, was driving, while behind were the two strangers, with Mr Murray and Ella. The latter caught sight of me as she flashed past. Our eyes met for an instant, and then she was lost to me in a cloud of dust--lost for ever. "They're going back again, it seems," I remarked to Gibbs. "No, sir. I saw their man this morning. They're going to Bristol. He's heard from 'is master that it's all right. The young gentleman and the lady are his master's friends, after all--even though they're such a queer pair," and then he added: "Did you think of startin' this morning, sir?" "Yes. As soon as you are ready." "Where to, sir?" "Back to Swanage." We ran across Devon and Dorset at a somewhat lower speed to what we had travelled when overtaking the 40 "Mercedes." Gibbs had no desire to put in an appearance before any local bench. Indeed nowadays it is useless to make an appearance. So prejudiced are magistrates, and such hard swearing is there on the part of the police, that motorists must pay up cheerfully. There is no justice for the pioneers of locomotion. We returned by another road, which proved better than that by which we had come, and just before eleven at night I descended from the car at the "Lion," and after some supper with the fat genial landlord, who took a deep interest in my journey and hardly credited that I had been into Cornwall and back, I went up to the room I had previously occupied. Tired after the heat and dust of the road I slept well, but was up betimes, and at half-past nine walked out to the Manor House. A maid-servant came to the door in response to my ring. "Mr Miller and the young lady have gone away, sir," the girl replied to my inquiry. "They went up to London yesterday." "Are they staying in London?" I asked eagerly. "I'm sure I don't know, sir." "Is Miss Miller at home? If so, I'd like to see her." And I handed her my card. I was shown into the morning-room, and in a few minutes Miller's sister appeared. "I'm so sorry, Mr Leaf," she said, in her thin, weak voice, "but my brother and his daughter left quite suddenly yesterday. He received a telegram recalling him." "Where?" "To Italy. He left by the mail from Charing Cross last night--direct for Leghorn, I believe." "Is he likely to be away long?" "He won't be back, I suppose, before the spring." "And Miss Lucie has gone with him?" "Of course. She is always with him." It was upon my tongue to ask her brother's address in Leghorn, but I hesitated, for I recollected that, being an Englishman, he could be easily found.