Without a word the two men swung and swayed, Geary wriggling and pressing Gerald downward with his great weight. But Haskins had lately taken lessons in jiu-jutsu, of which the negro was apparently ignorant; so he suddenly gave way, with an unexpected relaxing of all the muscles. Geary uttered a guttural ejaculation of anger and surprise as he felt the looseness of the young man's body and found a moment afterwards that his big arms were empty. By making himself small, so to speak, Gerald had slipped out of the negro's grip, and darted back with lightning speed. When Geary swung round again to the assault he found himself facing a revolver. Nothing daunted, his hand slipped round to the back of his dungaree trousers, and a moment later Gerald saw the steel glitter in the dim light, as Geary rushed forward with uplifted hand. Haskins did not wish to kill the man, as he was a necessary witness to save Mavis, so he winged him. The bullet struck the negro's right arm, and the knife dropped, as he howled viciously. Apparently dreading another shot, he sprang aside and then backward, and vanished. For some minutes Gerald heard the pad-pad-pad of his bare feet on the highway, and became aware then, for the first time, that he had escaped a great danger. Picking up the knife, he replaced his revolver in his hip-pocket and walked swiftly towards Silbury, wondering if Rebb had sent the man to kill him. If so, Geary had failed, and as there was no chance of another attempt being made on that night Gerald did not trouble himself on the way to the town. He swiftly resolved to say nothing of his adventure, especially as any publicity might lead to revelations being made at the moment, while Mavis' fate swung in the balance. But later Gerald determined to bring Geary to justice. He had the evidence of the knife. At the first street lamp he stopped and looked at the weapon. It was a dangerous piece of steel--a bowie knife, but the handle was of black wood. What then had become of the yellow-handled knife which Mavis feared so greatly? Gerald was too weary, and ached too much with his late struggle, to think over this problem. He therefore postponed all consideration until next morning. On reaching the Prince's Head he sat down to an excellent meal, and held his peace about his adventures. After dinner he drank some coffee and smoked a couple of pipes. Then he went to bed about ten o'clock, or a trifle later. Shortly, in spite of the late excitement, he fell asleep. When he awoke it was nine o'clock in the morning. Feeling somewhat bruised and stiff--for Geary's grasp was like that of an octopus--he decided to remain in bed, instead of taking the morning train to London. The afternoon train would do, he decided, so he rang for his breakfast to be served, intending to rise at midday. The chambermaid took his orders for breakfast, and seemed to be flustered, but before he could make inquiries she ran out of the room.