CHAPTER XVI
A CAD'S PUNISHMENT
The hotel at which Mabel had been stopping with the rest of the partywas in a quiet residential section not far from the suburbs, and Joehad almost reached it at the time of the encounter. There was littletraffic here to interfere with the chase, and in a few minutes pursuerand pursued had cleared the outskirts and were in the open country.
Joe caught a glimpse of Fleming looking back and saw that the latterknew he was being followed, a knowledge which was followed by a suddenquickening in the pace of Fleming's car.
It was, evidently, a powerful machine, and despite Joe's utmost effortsthe gap between the two cars kept constantly widening.
Joe had had a good deal of experience in handling automobiles during hisbig league career, and was a cool and skilful driver. But the utmostexertion of his skill could avail little when he had an inferior carpitted against one which greatly exceeded it in horse power.
His heart was in his mouth as he saw how recklessly Fleming wasspeeding. His car seemed to be on two wheels only as he took the curvesin the road.
How Mabel came to be in that car was a question that could wait for ananswer till later. The only thing that mattered now was that she wasthere with a man she dreaded and despised, and her frenzied waving toldJoe that she was in mortal fear and looked for him to help her.
Jim sat perfectly still without saying a word. Nothing must distract Joefor a second from that car and the view of the road ahead. He knew whatnerves of steel were back of the sinewy hand that clutched the wheel. Hehad grasped the meaning of the chase, and he shared with his friend thedetermination that the cad in the car ahead should pay dearly for thisescapade.
Suddenly Joe gave an exultant cry.
As they turned a curve, he saw that a railroad crossing lay ahead andthat the gates were down, while a long freight train was lumberingleisurely by.
Fleming could not get past till the gates were raised, and by that timeJoe would be upon him.
There was no cross road between him and the track into which Fleming'scar could escape. His enemy was trapped.
"You've got him, Joe!" exclaimed Jim, with a thrill of exultation in hisvoice.
"Yes," Joe gritted between his teeth. "I've got him."
And his tone would not have reassured Beckworth Fleming.
Fleming's car had halted and Fleming himself had jumped out and runwildly to the gate, looking up the track to see if the train was nearlyby. He saw at a glance that it would not have passed before Joe would beupon him.
From the other side of the car, Mabel had leaped as soon as it hadstopped. She came running back up the road, and Joe, who had stopped,rushed forward and took her in his arms. She was sobbing with fright andexcitement, and Joe held her close as he tried to soothe her.
Fleming saw that the game was up and promptly darted off into the woodat the side of the road.
"After him, Jim!" cried Joe. "Don't let him get away!"
Jim darted after the fugitive. Fleming put on all possible speed, but hewas no match for the seasoned athlete, and a moment later Jim's muscularhand had him by the collar.
"Let me go," snarled the wretch, struggling desperately.
"Come along," growled Jim, dragging him to the spot in the road whereJoe was comforting Mabel, who was gradually getting back some of herself-control.
The tender look in Joe's eyes was replaced by one of a differentcharacter as he looked at the flushed, dissipated face of the man whostood before him, still held by Jim.
"Now, Mr. Beckworth Fleming, I have an account to settle with you."
Fleming shrank back as far as Jim's grip would let him before the steelylook in Joe's eyes.
"Don't be afraid," said Joe, contemptuously. "I'm not going to thrashyou in the presence of a lady."
Relief came into Fleming's face.
"It was only a lark," he began, but Joe cut him short.
"I don't care for any explanations," he said. "I want you to go down onyour knees in the road and beg Miss Varley's pardon."
Fleming looked around for some means of escape but found none. Hisfurtive glance at Mabel fell before the scorn in her eyes.
"I apologize," he jerked out sullenly.
"Down on your knees, I said," remarked Joe with dangerous calmness.
Fleming hesitated before this last humiliation, but Jim's knuckles inhis neck decided him.
"I beg your pardon," he muttered, getting down on his knees andscrambling again to his feet as hastily as possible.
"And now, Jim," Joe continued, "if you'll just take Mabel up the road alittle way around that curve, I'll finish this little account with Mr.Fleming."
Fear sprang into Fleming's eyes.
"You said you wouldn't," he began.
"I said I wouldn't thrash you in the presence of a lady, and I'm goingto keep my word," said Joe, imperturbably. "Please, Jim."
He relinquished Mabel to his friend, and Jim assumed the responsibilitywith a cheerful grin.
"Don't hurt him, Joe," Mabel urged, hesitatingly.
"I won't kill him, Mabel," Joe answered. "I only want to impress a fewthings on his memory so firmly that he'll never forget them."
Jim gently urged Mabel out of sight beyond a curve two hundred feet away.
When they had vanished, Joe turned to Fleming.
"Take off your coat," he ordered curtly.
"What are you going to do?" asked Fleming, fearfully. "I warn you thatif you hit me----"
"Take off your coat," repeated Joe, setting him the example.
As Fleming still hesitated, Joe reached over and slapped his facelightly.
"You seem to need a stimulant to get you going," he taunted.
Even a rat will fight when cornered, and Fleming, with an exclamation ofrage, threw off his coat and rushed furiously at Joe.
The latter met him with an uppercut that shook him from head to foot.Then he sailed into Fleming and gave him a most thorough thrashing. Nordid he let up until Fleming with a highly decorated face lay helpless inthe road, sobbing with shame and rage and whining for mercy.
"I guess that's enough for the present," said Joe, who had not a mark onhim, as he resumed his coat. "You'd better get into that car of yoursand drive home before your eyes are entirely closed. And remember thatthis isn't a circumstance to what you'll get if you ever dare to speakto Miss Varley again."
He turned his back upon the discomfited cad, and, jumping into therunabout, drove around the curve where he rejoined Mabel and Jim.
"Did you impress those things on his memory?" asked Jim with a grin.
"I don't think he'll forget them in a hurry," Joe laughed, though rathergrimly. "And this time, luckily, there was no policeman handy."