“Pierre!” gasped Colonel Ellison.
The chauffeur, who seemed about to hurl himself bodily upon the foremost, stopped short, breathless and panting, and stared wild-eyed at the group before him.
“Monsieur the Colonel, Monsieur le Colonel, I had such fear,” he stammered. “Such fear!” he placed his hand over his heart; “I hear you cry, ‘Au secours!’ and I run, oh, how I run! Ah, I had such fear—but you no hurt, eh?”
Pierre’s words came out in a series of jerks, and he stood quite still, as if the shock yet gripped his heart.
Bates whistled.
“Certainly I am not hurt, Pierre!” exclaimed Colonel Ellison, his tone indicating a great lack of appreciation for his chauffeur’s solicitude.
“Ah, then I am content, monsieur the Colonel; I had such fear—for why you——”
“You should never have left the automobile, Pierre,” said the Colonel, hastily.
“But your voice; it came over ze air like——”
“A steam whistle in distress.”