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the briar revolted him. He tossed it through the open window at his side with a petulant gesture. It struck an elderly man, who, with two companions, was approaching the car with some diffidence.

Harley apologised shortly.

“It’s quite all right, sir,” the elderly man assured him, hooking his angular fingers over the window frame and peering into the back of the car. “Are you going—over there, sir, by any chance?”

“Yes,” Harley answered the timid questioner curtly. “But we are not taking any sight-seeing parties.”

“Would you mind giving us a lift, sir?” pleaded the other, apparently unaware of the rebuff. “Just my wife and daughter and myself? I will pay all expenses of the journey willingly. We really must get to Napier to-night. We must!”

His voice shook, and his eyes reflected the bright lights of the pumps in a curious manner.

Harley found that he had no sympathy with another’s trouble.

“Sorry,” he growled, turning to look in another direction. “Afraid we can do nothing for you.”

The old man sighed and removed his fingers from the window frame slowly. The younger of the two women sank down upon the low brick curbing of the station and sobbed silently, while her mother leaned above her and whispered comforting words.

Roy saw the latter movement. He turned and leaned over across Harley’s back, and, with something of a flourish, threw open the car door.

“Hop in, dad,” he invited heartily, pointedly avoiding Harley’s frowning glance. “Plenty of room for all of you. We need something to hold the car down at the back; but I’m warning you, you’ll be taking risks. We’re in a hurry.”

The elderly man thanked him in a stifled voice and hurried away to apprise the women of his good fortune.

“What’s the idea?” demanded Harley in a low