that the scheme was not one to be tried a second time. Chu-Chu and the mécanicien were both armed, no doubt, and I could imagine the amiable state of their emotions.
A kilometre along I stopped and got out to look at my own damage, which amounted to no more than a flattened mudguard, the heavy angle-irons having taken all the strain and bent double. This was a slight affair and could be repaired in a few minutes at any wayside forge.
Well, that trick was played, and Chu-Chu had won it. There was no sense in following him up now, so I took the next cross-road and returned at a good gait to Paris.
On the way back my mind was presented by a very nasty consideration. The war with Chu-Chu was now on, full blast, and it occurred to me that owing to our remarkable resemblance John's life was in almost as much danger as my own. Chu-Chu was not the man to risk losing a chance through fear of getting the wrong person. John must be warned immediately, and persuaded, if possible, to leave the country and remain away until the feud was settled. So on reaching the garage I jumped into a taxi and went immediately to his house.
The old maitre d'hôtel seemed rather disturbed as he let me in, and a moment later I knew why. Drunken snores were reverberating through the ante-chambre. The old servant threw out his hands with a shrug.
"Yes, it is M'sieu ," says he. "M'sieu has not been himself to-day. He has consumed an entire bottle of whisky." He said this as though speaking
