foundly touched。 She did not know what she had done to merit such friends。 Her voice broke a little； she moved towards the door； and young Phipps； who was a youth of action rather than of words； sprang and opened itproud to be first。
〃She is sorely troubled；〃 said Dangle to Widgery。 〃We must do what we can for her。〃
〃She is a wonderful woman；〃 said Dangle。 〃So subtle； so intricate； so many faceted。 She feels this deeply。〃
Young Phipps said nothing； but he felt the more。
And yet they say the age of chivalry is dead！
But this is only an Interlude； introduced to give our wanderers time to refresh themselves by good； honest sleeping。 For the present； therefore； we will not concern ourselves with the starting of the Rescue Party； nor with Mrs。 Milton's simple but becoming grey dress； with the healthy Widgery's Norfolk jacket and thick boots； with the slender Dangle's energetic bearing； nor with the wonderful chequerings that set off the legs of the golf…suited Phipps。 They are after us。 In a little while they will be upon us。 You must imagine as you best can the competitive raidings at Midhurst of Widgery； Dangle； and Phipps。 How Widgery was great at questions； and Dangle good at inference； and Phipps so conspicuously inferior in everything that he felt it； and sulked with Mrs。 Milton most of the day； after the manner of your callow youth the whole world over。 Mrs。 Milton stopped at the Angel and was very sad and charming and intelligent； and Widgery paid the bill。 in the afternoon of Saturday； Chichester was attained。 But by that time our fugitivesAs you shall immediately hear。
THE AWAKENING OF MR。 HOOPDRIVER
XXVII
Mr。 Hoopdriver stirred on his pillow； opened his eyes； and； staring unmeaningly； yawned。 The bedclothes were soft and pleasant。 He turned the peaked nose that overrides the insufficient moustache； up to the ceiling； a pinkish projection over the billow of white。 You might see it wrinkle as he yawned again； and then became quiet。 So matters remained for a space。 Very slowly recollection returned to him。 Then a shock of indeterminate brown hair appeared； and first one watery grey eye a…wondering； and then two ； the bed upheaved； and you had him； his thin neck projecting abruptly from the clothes he held about him； his face staring about the room。 He held the clothes about him； I hope I may explain； because his night…shirt was at Bognor in an American…cloth packet； derelict。 He yawned a third time； rubbed his eyes； smacked his lips。 He was recalling almost everything now。 The pursuit； the hotel； the tremulous daring of his entry； the swift adventure of the inn yard； the moonlightAbruptly he threw the clothes back and rose into a sitting position on the edge of the bed。 Without was the noise of shutters being unfastened and doors unlocked； and the passing of hoofs and wheels in the street。 He looked at his watch。 Half…past six。 He surveyed the sumptuous room again。
〃Lord！〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。 〃It wasn't a dream； after all。〃
〃I wonder what they charge for these Juiced rooms！〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； nursing one rosy foot。
He became meditative； tugging at his insufficient moustache。 Suddenly he gave vent to a noiseless laugh。 〃What a rush it was！ Rushed in and off with his girl right under his nose。 Planned it well too。 Talk of highway robbery！ Talk of brigands Up and off！ How juiced SOLD he must be feeling It was a shave tooin the coach yard！〃
Suddenly he became silent。 Abruptly his eyebrows rose and his jaw fell。 〃I sa…a…ay！〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。
He had never thought of it before。 Perhaps you will understand the whirl he had been in overnight。 But one sees things clearer in the daylight。 〃I'm hanged if I haven't been and stolen a blessed bicycle。〃
〃Who cares？〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； presently； and his face supplied the answer。
Then he thought of the Young Lady in Grey again； and tried to put a more heroic complexion on the business。 But of an early morning； on an empty stomach （as with characteristic coarseness； medical men put it） heroics are of a more difficult growth than by moonlight。 Everything had seemed exceptionally fine and brilliant； but quite natural； the evening before。
Mr。 Hoopdriver reached out his hand； took his Norfolk jacket； laid it over his knees； and took out the money from the little ticket pocket。 〃 Fourteen and six…half；〃 he said； holding the coins in his left hand and stroking his chin with his right。 He verified； by patting； the presence of a pocketbook in the breast pocket。 〃Five； fourteen； six…half；〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver。 〃Left。〃
With the Norfolk jacket still on his knees； he plunged into another silent meditation。 〃That wouldn't matter；〃 he said。 〃It's the bike's the bother。
〃No good going back to Bognor。
〃Might send it back by carrier； of course。 Thanking him for the loan。 Having no further use〃 Mr。 Hoopdriver chuckled and lapsed into the silent concoction of a delightfully impudent letter。 〃Mr。 J。 Hoopdriver presents his compliments。〃 But the grave note reasserted itself。
〃Might trundle back there in an hour； of course； and exchange them。 MY old crock's so blessed shabby。 He's sure to be spiteful too。 Have me run in； perhaps。 Then she'd be in just the same old fix； only worse。 You see； I'm her Knight…errant。 It complicates things so。〃
His eye； wandering loosely； rested on the sponge bath。 〃What the juice do they want with cream pans in a bedroom？〃 said Mr。 Hoopdriver； en passant。
〃Best thing we can do is to set out of here as soon as possible； anyhow。 I suppose she'll go home to her friends。 That bicycle is a juicy nuisance； anyhow。 Juicy nuisance！〃
He jumped to his feet with a sudden awakening of energy； to proceed with his toilet。 Then with a certain horror he remembered that the simple necessaries of that process were at Bognor！〃Lord！〃 he remarked； and whistled silently for a space。 〃Rummy go！ profit and loss； profit； one sister with bicycle complete； wot offers？cheap for tooth and 'air brush； vests； night…shirt； stockings； and sundries。
〃Make the best of it；〃 and presently； when it came to hair…brushing； he had to smooth his troubled locks with his hands。 It was a poor result。 〃Sneak out and get a shave； I suppose； and buy a brush and so on。 Chink again！ Beard don't show much。〃
He ran his hand over his chin； looked at himself steadfastly for some time； and curled his insufficient moustache up with some care。 Then he fell a…meditating on his beauty。 He considered himself； three…quarter face； left and right。 An expression of distaste crept over his features。 〃Looking won't alter it； Hoopdriver；〃 he remarked。 〃You're a weedy customer； my man。 Shoulders narrow。 Skimpy； anyhow。〃
He put his knuckles on the toilet table and regarded himself with his chin lifted in the air。 〃Good Lord！〃 he said。 〃WHAT a neck！ Wonder why I got such a thundering lump there。〃
He sat down on the bed； his eye still on the glass。 〃If I'd been exercised properly； if I'd been fed reasonable； if I hadn't been shoved out of a silly school into a silly shopBut there！ the old folks didn't know no better。 The schoolmaster ought to have。 But he didn't； poor old fool！Still； when it comes to meeting a girl like thisIt's 'ARD。
〃I wonder what Adam'd think of meas a specimen。 Civilisation； eigh？ Heir of the ages！ I'm nothing。 I know nothing。 I can't do anythingsketch a bit。 Why wasn't I made an artist？
〃Beastly cheap； after all； this suit does look； in the sunshine。〃
〃No good； Hoopdriver。 Anyhow； you don't tell yourself any lies about it。 Lovers ain't your game；anyway。 But there's other things yet。 You can help the young lady； and you willI suppose she'll be going homeAnd that business of the bicycle's to see to； too； my man。 FORWARD； Hoopdriver！ If you ain't a beauty； that's no reason why you should stop and be copped； is it？〃
And having got back in this way to a gloomy kind of self…satisfaction； he had another attempt at his hair preparatory to leaving his room and hurrying on breakfast； for an early departure。 While breakfast was preparing he wandered out into South Street and refurnished himself with the elements of luggage again。 〃No expense to be spared；〃 he murmured； disgorging the half…sovereign。
THE DEPARTURE FROM CHICHESTER
XXVIII
He caused his 'sister' to be called repeatedly； and when she came down； explained with a humorous smile his legal relationship to the bicycle in the yard。 〃Might be disagreeable； y' know。〃 His anxiety was obvious enough。 〃Very well；〃 she said （quite friendly）； 〃hurry breakfast； and we'll ride out。 I want to talk things over with you。〃 The girl seemed more beautiful than ever after the night's sleep； her hair in comely dark waves from her forehead； her ungauntleted finger…tips pink and cool。 And how decided she was！ Breakfast was a nervous ceremony； conversation fraternal but thin； the waiter overawed him； and he was cowed by a multiplicity of forks。 But she called him 〃Chris。〃 They discussed their route over his sixpenny county map for the sake of talking； but avoided a decision in the presence of the attendant。 The five…pound note was changed for the bill； and through Hoopdriver's determination to be quite the gentleman； the waiter and chambermaid got half a crown each and the ostler a florin。 〃'Olidays；〃 said the ostler to himself； without gratitude。 The public mounting of the bicycles in the street was a moment of trepidation。 A policeman actually stopped and watched them from the opposite kerb。 Suppose him to come across and ask： 〃Is that your bicycle； sir？〃 Fight？ Or drop it and run？ It was a time of bewildering apprehension； too； going through the streets of the town； so that a milk cart barely escaped destruction under Mr。 Hoopdriver's chancy wheel。 That recalled him to a sense of erratic steering； and he pulled himself together。 In the lanes he breathed freer； and a less formal conversation presently began。
〃You've ridden out of Chichester in a great hurry；〃 said Jessie。
〃Well； the fact of it is； I'm worried； just a little bit。 About this machine。〃
〃Of course；〃 she said。 〃I had forgotten that。 But where are we going？〃
〃Jest a turning or two more； if you don't mind；〃 said Hoopdriver。
〃Jest a mile or so。 I have to think of you； you know。 I should feel more easy。 If we was locked up； you