ty　yards；　and　left　him　flung　flat　upon　the　road　far　in　front　of　his　frightened　horse。　As　the　car　took　the　corner　of　the　street　with　a　splendid　curve；　they　could　just　see　the　other　anarchists　filling　the　street　and　raising　their　fallen　leader。
  〃I　can't　understand　why　it　has　grown　so　dark；〃　said　the　Professor　at　last　in　a　low　voice。
  〃Going　to　be　a　storm；　I　think；〃　said　Dr。　Bull。　〃I　say；　it's　a　pity　we　haven't　got　a　light　on　this　car；　if　only　to　see　by。〃
  〃We　have；〃　said　the　Colonel；　and　from　the　floor　of　the　car　he　fished　up　a　heavy；　old…fashioned；　carved　iron　lantern　with　a　light　inside　it。　It　was　obviously　an　antique；　and　it　would　seem　as　if　its　original　use　had　been　in　some　way　semi…religious；　for　there　was　a　rude　moulding　of　a　cross　upon　one　of　its　sides。
  〃Where　on　earth　did　you　get　that？〃　asked　the　Professor。
  〃I　got　it　where　I　got　the　car；〃　answered　the　Colonel；　chuckling；　〃from　my　best　friend。　While　our　friend　here　was　fighting　with　the　steering　wheel；　I　ran　up　the　front　steps　of　the　house　and　spoke　to　Renard；　who　was　standing　in　his　own　porch；　you　will　remember。　'I　suppose；'　I　said；　'there's　no　time　to　get　a　lamp。'　He　looked　up；　blinking　amiably　at　the　beautiful　arched　ceiling　of　his　own　front　hall。　From　this　was　suspended；　by　chains　of　exquisite　ironwork；　this　lantern；　one　of　the　hundred　treasures　of　his　treasure　house。　By　sheer　force　he　tore　the　lamp　out　of　his　own　ceiling；　shattering　the　painted　panels；　and　bringing　down　two　blue　vases　with　his　violence。　Then　he　handed　me　the　iron　lantern；　and　I　put　it　in　the　car。　Was　I　not　right　when　I　said　that　Dr。　Renard　was　worth　knowing？〃
  〃You　were；〃　said　Syme　seriously；　and　hung　the　heavy　lantern　over　the　front。　There　was　a　certain　allegory　of　their　whole　position　in　the　contrast　between　the　modern　automobile　and　its　strange　ecclesiastical　lamp。　Hitherto　they　had　passed　through　the　quietest　part　of　the　town；　meeting　at　most　one　or　two　pedestrians；　who　could　give　them　no　hint　of　the　peace　or　the　hostility　of　the　place。　Now；　however；　the　windows　in　the　houses　began　one　by　one　to　be　lit　up；　giving　a　greater　sense　of　habitation　and　humanity。　Dr。　Bull　turned　to　the　new　detective　who　had　led　their　flight；　and　permitted　himself　one　of　his　natural　and　friendly　smiles。
  〃These　lights　make　one　feel　more　cheerful。〃
  Inspector　Ratcliffe　drew　his　brows　together。
  〃There　is　only　one　set　of　lights　that　make　me　more　cheerful；〃　he　said；　〃and　they　are　those　lights　of　the　police　station　which　I　can　see　beyond　the　town。　Please　God　we　may　be　there　in　ten　minutes。〃
  Then　all　Bull's　boiling　good　sense　and　optimism　broke　suddenly　out　of　him。
  〃Oh；　this　is　all　raving　nonsense！〃　he　cried。　〃If　you　really　think　that　ordinary　people　in　ordinary　houses　are　anarchists；　you　must　be　madder　than　an　anarchist　yourself。　If　we　turned　and　fought　these　fellows；　the　whole　town　would　fight　for　us。〃
  〃No；〃　said　the　other　with　an　immovable　simplicity；　〃the　whole　town　would　fight　for　them。　We　shall　see。'
  While　they　were　speaking　the　Professor　had　leant　forward　with　sudden　excitement。
  〃What　is　that　noise？〃　he　said。
  〃Oh；　the　horses　behind　us；　I　suppose；〃　said　the　Colonel。　〃I　thought　we　had　got　clear　of　them。〃
  〃The　horses　behind　us！　No；〃　said　the　Professor；　〃it　is　not　horses；　and　it　is　not　behind　us。〃
  Almost　as　he　spoke；　across　the　end　of　the　street　before　them　two　shining　and　rattling　shapes　shot　past。　They　were　gone　almost　in　a　flash；　but　everyone　could　see　that　they　were　motor…cars；　and　the　Professor　stood　up　with　a　pale　face　and　swore　that　they　were　the　other　two　motor…cars　from　Dr。　Renard's　garage。
  〃I　tell　you　they　were　his；〃　he　repeated；　with　wild　eyes；　〃and　they　were　full　of　men　in　masks！〃
  〃Absurd！〃　said　the　Colonel　angrily。　〃Dr。　Renard　would　never　give　them　his　cars。〃
  〃He　may　have　been　forced；〃　said　Ratcliffe　quietly。　〃The　whole　town　is　on　their　side。〃
  〃You　still　believe　that；〃　asked　the　Colonel　incredulously。
  〃You　will　all　believe　it　soon；〃　said　the　other　with　a　hopeless　calm。
  There　was　a　puzzled　pause　for　some　little　time；　and　then　the　Colonel　began　again　abruptly
  〃No；　I　can't　believe　it。　The　thing　is　nonsense。　The　plain　people　of　a　peaceable　French　town〃
  He　was　cut　short　by　a　bang　and　a　blaze　of　light；　which　seemed　close　to　his　eyes。　As　the　car　sped　on　it　left　a　floating　patch　of　white　smoke　behind　it；　and　Syme　had　heard　a　shot　shriek　past　his　ear。
  〃My　God！〃　said　the　Colonel；　〃someone　has　shot　at　us。〃
  〃It　need　not　interrupt　conversation；〃　said　the　gloomy　Ratcliffe。　〃Pray　resume　your　remarks；　Colonel。　You　were　talking；　I　think；　about　the　plain　people　of　a　peaceable　French　town。〃
  The　staring　Colonel　was　long　past　minding　satire。　He　rolled　his　eyes　all　round　the　street。
  〃It　is　extraordinary；〃　he　said；　〃most　extraordinary。〃
  〃A　fastidious　person；〃　said　Syme；　〃might　even　call　it　unpleasant。　However；　I　suppose　those　lights　out　in　the　field　beyond　this　street　are　the　Gendarmerie。　We　shall　soon　get　there。〃
  〃No；〃　said　Inspector　Ratcliffe；　〃we　shall　never　get　there。〃
  He　had　been　standing　up　and　looking　keenly　ahead　of　him。　Now　he　sat　down　and　smoothed　his　sleek　hair　with　a　weary　gesture。
  〃What　do　you　mean？〃　asked　Bull　sharply。
  〃I　mean　that　we　shall　never　get　there；〃　said　the　pessimist　placidly。　〃They　have　two　rows　of　armed　men　across　the　road　already；　I　can　see　them　from　here。　The　town　is　in　arms；　as　I　said　it　was。
  I　can　only　wallow　in　the　exquisite　comfort　of　my　own　exactitude。〃
  And　Ratcliffe　sat　down　comfortably　in　the　car　and　lit　a　cigarette；　but　the　others　rose　excitedly　and　stared　down　the　road。　Syme　had　slowed　down　the　car　as　their　plans　became　doubtful；　and　he　brought　it　finally　to　a　standstill　just　at　the　corner　of　a　side　street　that　ran　down　very　steeply　to　the　sea。
  The　town　was　mostly　in　shadow；　but　the　sun　had　not　sunk；　wherever　its　level　light　could　break　through；　it　painted　everything　a　burning　gold。　Up　this　side　street　the　last　sunset　light　shone　as　sharp　and　narrow　as　the　shaft　of　artificial　light　at　the　theatre。　It　struck　the　car　of　the　five　friends；　and　lit　it　like　a　burning　chariot。　But　the　rest　of　the　street；　especially　the　two　ends　of　it；　was　in　the　deepest　twilight；　and　for　some　seconds　they　could　see　nothing。　Then　Syme；　whose　eyes　were　the　keenest；　broke　into　a　little　bitter　whistle；　and　said
  〃It　is　quite　true。　There　is　a　crowd　or　an　army　or　some　such　thing　across　the　end　of　that　street。〃
  〃Well；　if　there　is；〃　said　Bull　impatiently；　〃it　must　be　something　elsea　sham　fight　or　the　mayor's　birthday　or　something。　I　cannot　and　will　not　believe　that　plain；　jolly　people　in　a　place　like　this　walk　about　with　dynamite　in　their　pockets。　Get　on　a　bit；　Syme；　and　let　us　look　at　them。〃
  The　car　crawled　about　a　hundred　yards　farther；　and　then　they　were　all　startled　by　Dr。　Bull　breaking　into　a　high　crow　of　laughter。
  〃Why；　you　silly　mugs！〃　he　cried；　〃what　did　I　tell　you。　That　crowd's　as　law…abiding　as　a　cow；　and　if　it　weren't；　it's　on　our　side。〃
  〃How　do　you　know？〃　asked　the　professor；　staring。
  〃You　blind　bat；〃　cried　Bull；　〃don't　you　see　who　is　leading　them？〃
  They　peered　again；　and　then　the　Colonel；　with　a　catch　in　his　voice；　cried　out
  〃Why；　it's　Renard！〃
  There　was；　indeed；　a　rank　of　dim　figures　running　across　the　road；　and　they　could　not　be　clearly　seen；　but　far　enough　in　front　to　catch　the　accident　of　the　evening　light　was　stalking　up　and　down　the　unmistakable　Dr。　Renard；　in　a　white　hat；　stroking　his　long　brown　beard；　and　holding　a　revolver　in　his　left　hand。
  〃What　a　fool　I've　been！〃　exclaimed　the　Colonel。　〃Of　course；　the　dear　old　boy　has　turned　out　to　help　us。〃
  Dr。　Bull　was　bubbling　over　with　laughter；　swinging　the　sword　in　his　hand　as　carelessly　as　a　cane。　He　jumped　out　of　the　car　and　ran　across　the　intervening　space；　calling　out
  〃Dr。　Renard！　Dr。　Renard！〃
  An　instant　after　Syme　thought　his　own　eyes　had　gone　mad　in　his　head。　For　the　philanthropic　Dr。　Renard　had　deliberately　raised　his　revolver　and　fired　twice　at　Bull；　so　that　the　shots　rang　down　the　road。
  Almost　at　the　same　second　as　the　puff　of　white　cloud　went　up　from　this　atrocious　explosion　a　long　puff　of　white　cloud　went　up　also　from　the　cigarette　of　the　cynical　Ratcliffe。　Like　all　the　rest　he　turned　a　little　pale；　but　he　smiled。　Dr。　Bull；　at　whom　the　bullets　had　been　fired；　just　missing　his　scalp；　stood　quite　still　in　the　middle　of　the　road　without　a　sign　of　fear；　and　then　turned　very　slowly　and　crawled　back　to　the　car；　and　climbed　in　with　two　holes　through　his　hat。
  〃Well；〃　said　the　cigarette　smoker　slowly；　〃what　do　you　think　now？〃
  〃I　think；〃　said　Dr。　Bull　with　precision；　〃that　I　am　lying　in　bed　at　No。　217　Peabody　Buildings；　and　that　I　shall　soon　wake　up　with　a　jump；　or；　if　that's　not　it；　I　think　that　I　am　sitting　in　a　small　cushioned　cell　in　Hanwell；　and　that　the　doctor　can't　make　much　of　my　case。　But　if　you　want　to　know　what　I　don't　think；　I'll　tell　you。　I　don't　think　what　you　think。　I　don't　think；　and　I　never　shall　think；　that　the　mass　of　ordinary　men　are　a　pack　of　dirty　modern　thinkers。　No；　sir；　I'm　a　democrat；　and　I　still　don't　believe　that　Sunday　could　convert　one　average　navvy　or　counter…jumper。　No；　I　may　be　mad；　but　humanity　isn't。〃
  Syme　turned　his　bright　blue　eyes　on　Bull　with　an　earnestness　which　he　did　not　commonly　ma