"
"She is quite right," Laura declared, "and I will stay with her."
Quest glanced at his watch.
"That's all right," he declared. "I'll have to get, but I'll send some one
along. Cheer up, Lenora," he added kindly. "Look after her, Laura."
"You bet!" that young woman declared brusquely.
Quest hastened along the road to the spot where he had left the car. The
chauffeur, who saw him coming, started up and climbed to his seat. Quest
took his place.
"Drive to the office," he ordered.
The man slipped in his clutch. They were in the act of gliding off when
there was a tremendous report. They stopped short. The man jumped down and
looked at the back tire.
"Blow-out," he remarked laconically.
Quest frowned.
"How long will it take?"
"Four minutes," the man replied. "I've got another wheel ready. That's the
queerest blow-out I ever saw, though."
The two men leaned over the tire. Suddenly Quest's expression changed. His
hand stole into his hip pocket.
"Tom," he explained, "that wasn't a blow-out at all. Look here!"
He pointed to the small level hole. Almost at once he stood back and the
sunshine flashed upon the revolver clutched in his right hand.
"That was a bullet," he continued. "Some one fired at that tire. Tom,
there's trouble about."
The man looked nervously around.
"That's a rifle bullet, sure," he muttered.
The car was drawn up by the side of the road, a few yards past the section
house. A little way farther up was the tool shed, and beyond, the tower
house.
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