Panting, he reached her side, caught hold of her elbow, and pinning it close in his fingers hurried her forward, every faculty alert, every nerve a-tremble. Her panting breath was like the breath of a spent runner; she wouldn't last far in those high heels, he knew; the going was too hard. It was only a matter of time now. The hurrying footsteps seemed to be coming nearer and nearer.
"The motor-car? Where?" he said in a quick, panting voice.
She managed to stammer out a reply, stumbling feet falling over the rough ground, tripping in clumps of heather, bruising themselves against harsh stones.
"In the lane--beyond--over there! I've been a fool--leave me and go yourself!" she panted out in disjointed sentences that were ringing with despair.
"Never! We'll get there yet. Gather up your skirts.... Gad! you're done!" It was his own voice that spoke to her, and for a sudden moment he had forgotten the part he played in the exigencies of this distressing situation. He heard her gasp suddenly, send startled eyes up into his face, and then sway against him, and realized his folly--too late. The shock of the thing had unnerved her. In the darkness she could not see his face clearly but the voice had been--different. He'd brought the whole structure about his ears by one foolish momentary mistake. Then quite suddenly she fainted against him.
"Fool!" he apostrophized himself. "Blind fool!" and, stopping instantly, caught her up in his arms just as the lane hove in sight, and throwing her across his shoulder, took the added burden in his best athletic fashion, and ran.
They reached the motor only just in the nick of time, for already the darkness behind them was rent with cries of "There they are! Head them off!--there they are!" making the night hideous with the noise of them, and the stampede of feet seemed to grow more dense with every minute.
Cleek flung his unconscious burden in the car, leaped in after it, and tapped the chauffeur upon the shoulder.
"Extinguish your lamps and make for Aygon Castle--as quick as you can!" he gave out in the sharp staccato of excitement. "And the quicker the better! There's trouble here, and if those men catch up with us to-night I'll not answer for the lady's safety."