“Come on, Ewart!” cried the Count, jumping down to allow me to take his place at the steering. I turned to my captors in wonder. “Yes, away you go, Ewart,” the inspector said, “and good luck to you!” Without another second’s delay, I sprang upon the car, and while the Count, as he jumped up at my side, shouted good-bye to my captors, I started away towards Lordship Lane and the open country of Surrey. “Where shall we go?” I inquired breathlessly, utterly amazed at our extraordinary escape. “Straight on through Sydenham, and then I’ll tell you. The sooner we’re out of this, the better.[Pg 20] We’ll run along to Winchester, where I have a little house at Kingsworthy, just outside the city, and where we can lie low comfortably for a bit.” [Pg 20] “But shan’t we be followed by those men?” I asked apprehensively. “Followed—by them? Oh dear no!” he laughed. “Of course, you don’t understand, Ewart. They all three belong to us. We’ve played a smartish game upon the jeweller, haven’t we? They had to frighten you, of course, because it added a real good touch of truth to the scheme. We ought to be able to slip away across the Channel in a week’s time, at latest. They’ll leave to-night—in search of me!” and he laughed lightly to himself. “Then they were not detectives?” I exclaimed, utterly staggered by the marvellous ingenuity of the robbery. “No more than you are, Ewart,” was his reply. “But don’t bother your head about them now. All you’ve got to look after is your driving. Let’s get across to Winchester as quickly as possible. Just here!—sharp to the right and the first to the left takes us into the Guildford road. Then we can move.” [Pg 21] [Pg 21] CHAPTER II A SENTIMENTAL SWINDLE Count Bindo’s retreat near Winchester proved to be a small, rather isolated house near Kingsworthy. It stood in its own grounds, surrounded by a high wall, and at the rear was a very fair garage, that had been specially constructed, with inspection-pit and the various appliances.
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