118 THE SILVER FOX 



The engine seemed to be swallowing the 

 endless strip of line that flowed into its 

 clutch ; the motion felt like sliding on a 

 wire, without efi'ort or possibility of stop- 

 ping. Thundering along an imperceptible 

 curve, they neared the hill, with its fir- 

 trees ranged in tall and quiet ranks in the 

 twilight. At a distance of perhaps two 

 hundred yards, the cutting opened before 

 them as they rounded the bend, and all four 

 uttered a simultaneous exclamation. The 

 V-shaped cleft held a dark obstruction. 



Instantly, with a jar and a jerk, the brakes 

 were on at their full power, and Slaney was 

 leaning back as if to hold off the shock that 

 w^as already sending shoots of anticipation 

 through her feet and fingers. Shouts, and 

 the whistling of another engine came through 

 the noise, the brakes bit, and shoved, and 

 clung. Somewhere in the jolting, deafening 

 seconds an arm came strongly round 

 Slaney 's waist, and drew her towards the 

 footboard. She understood that if the worst 

 came she was to jump with Major Bunbury; 



