Holland House Hotel for the New York； New Haven & Hartford Depot；
presumably for her home at Lenox； to which place her baggage had
already been checked。 On the way she ordered the cabman to set her
down at the Waldorf…Astoria Hotel； which he did at a few minutes
past four。 The Duchess has not returned home or been directly
heard from since。 I wish to ascertain her movements since she
arrived at the Waldorf。〃
〃Sounds dead easy；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked reassuringly。 〃Got the
picture？〃
Mr。 Sabin touched the spring of a small gold locket which he drew
from an inside waistcoat pocket； and disclosed a beautifully painted
miniature。 Mr。 Skinner's thick lips were pursed into a whistle。
He was on the point of making a remark when he chanced to glance
into Mr。 Sabin's face。 The remark remained unspoken。
He drew a sheet of note…paper towards him and made a few notes upon
it。
〃The Duchess many friends in New York？〃
〃At present none。 The few people whom she knows here are at Newport
or in Europe just now。〃
〃Any idea whom she went to the Waldorf to see？ More we know the
better。〃
Mr。 Sabin handed him the letter which had been picked up in the cab。
Mr。 Skinner read it through； and spat once more upon the floor。
〃What the h…'s this funny coloured pencil mean？〃
〃I do not know；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃You will see that the two
anonymous communications which I have received since arriving in
New York yesterday are written in the same manner。〃
Mr。 Sabin handed him the other two letters； which Mr。 Skinner
carefully perused。
〃I guess you'd better tell me who you are；〃 he suggested。
〃I am the husband of the Duchess of Souspennier；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃The Duchess send any word home at all？〃 Mr。 Skinner asked。
Mr。 Sabin produced a worn telegraph form。 It was handed in at Fifth
Avenue； New York； at six o'clock on Friday。 It contained the single
word 'Good…bye。'〃
〃H'm；〃 Mr。 Skinner remarked。 〃We'll find all you want to know by
to…morrow sure。〃
〃What do you make of the two letters which I received？〃 Mr。 Sabin
asked。
〃Bunkum！〃 Mr。 Skinner replied confidently。
Mr。 Sabin nodded his head。
〃You have no secret societies over here； I suppose？〃 he said。
Mr。 Skinner laughed loudly and derisively。
〃I guess not；〃 he answered。 〃They keep that sort of rubbish on the
other side of the pond。〃
〃Ah；！〃
Mr。 Sabin was thoughtful for a moment。 〃You expect to find； then；〃
he remarked； 〃some other cause for my wife's disappearance？〃
〃There don't seem much room for doubt concerning that； sir；〃 Mr。
Skinner said； 〃but I never speculate。 I will bring you the facts
to…night between eight and eleven。 Now as to the business side of
it。〃
Mr。 Sabin was for a moment puzzled。
〃What's the job worth to you？〃 Mr。 Skinner asked。 〃I am willing to
pay；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered； 〃according to your demands。〃
〃It's a simple case；〃 Mr。 Skinner admitted； 〃but our man at the
Waldorf is expensive。 If you get all your facts； I guess five
hundred dollars will about see you through。〃
〃I will pay that；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。
〃I will bring you the letters back to…night；〃 Mr。 Skinner said。
〃I guess I'll borrow that locket of yours； too。〃
Mr。 Sabin shook his head。
〃That；〃 he said firmly； 〃I do not part with。〃 Mr。 Skinner scratched
his ear with his penholder。 〃It's the only scrap of identifying
matter we've got；〃 he remarked。 〃Of course it's a dead simple case；
and we can probably manage without it。 But I guess it's as well to
fix the thing right down。〃
〃If you will give me a piece of paper；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃I will make
you a sketch of the Duchess。 The larger the better。 I can give you
an idea of the sort of clothes she would probably be wearing。〃
Mr。 Skinner furnished him with a double sheet of paper； and Mr。
Sabin； with set face and unflinching figures； reproduced in a few
simple strokes a wonderful likeness of the woman he loved。 He
pushed it away from him when he had finished without remark。 Mr。
Skinner was loud in its praises。
〃I guess you're an artist； sir； for sure；〃 he remarked。 〃This'll
fix the thing。 Shall I come to your hotel？〃
〃If you please；〃 Mr。 Sabin answered。 〃I shall be there for the rest
of the day。〃
Mr。 Skinner took up his hat。
〃Guess I'll take my dinner and get right to work；〃 he remarked。
〃Say； you come along； Mr。 Sabin。 I'll take you where they'll fix
you such a beefsteak as you never tasted in your life。〃
〃I thank you very much；〃 Mr。 Sabin said； 〃but I must beg to be
excused。 I am expecting some despatches at my hotel。 If you are
successful this afternoon you will perhaps do me the honour of
dining with me to…night。 I will wait until eight…thirty。〃
The two men parted upon the pavement。 Mr。 Skinner； with his small
bowler hat on the back of his head； a fresh cigar in the corner of
his mouth； and his thumbs in the armholes of his waistcoat； strolled
along Broadway with something akin to a smile parting his lips； and
showing his yellow teeth。
〃Darned old fool；〃 he muttered。 〃To marry a slap…up handsome woman
like that； and then pretend not to know what it means when she bolts。
Guess I'll spoil his supper to…night。〃
Mr。 Sabin； however； was recovering his spirits。 He； too； was
leaning back in the corner of his carriage with a faint smile
brightening his hard； stern face。 But； unlike Mr。 Skinner； he did
not talk to himself。
CHAPTER IV
R。 Sabin； who was never； for its own sake； fond of solitude； had
ordered dinner for two at eight…thirty in the general dining…room。
At a few minutes previous to that hour Mr。 Skinner presented himself。
Mr。 Skinner was not in the garb usually affected by men of the world
who are invited to dine out。 The long day's exertion； too； had had
its effect upon his linen。 His front； indeed； through a broad gap；
confessed to a foundation of blue； and one of his cuffs showed a
marked inclination to escape from his wrist over his knuckles。 His
face was flushed； and he exhaled a strong odour of cigars and
cocktails。 Nevertheless； Mr。 Sabin was very glad to see him； and
to receive the folded sheet of paper which he at once produced。
〃I have taken the liberty；〃 Mr。 Sabin remarked； on his part； 〃of
adding a trifle to the amount we first spoke of； which I beg you
will accept from me as a mark of my gratitude for your promptness。〃
〃Sure！〃 Mr。 Skinner answered tersely； receiving the little roll of
bills without hesitation； and retreating into a quiet corner； where
he carefully counted and examined every one。 〃That's all right！〃
he announced at the conclusion of his task。 〃Come and have one
with me now before you read your little billet…doux； eh？〃
〃I shall not read your report until after dinner；〃 Mr。 Sabin said；
〃and I think if you are ready that we might as well go in。 At the
head…waiter's suggestion I have ordered a cocktail with the oysters；
and if we are much later he seemed to fear that it might affect the
condition of the … I think it was terrapin； he said。〃
Mr。 Skinner stopped short。 His tone betrayed emotion。
〃Did you say terrapin； sir？〃
Mr。 Sabin nodded。 Mr。 Skinner at once took his arm。
〃Guess we'll go right in；〃 he declared。 〃I hate to have a good
meal spoiled。〃
They were an old…looking couple。 Mr。 Sabin quietly but faultlessly
attired in the usual evening dinner garb； Mr。 Skinner ill…dressed；
untidy； unwashed and frowsy。 But here at least Mr。 Sabin's
incognito had been unavailing； for he had stayed at the hotel several
times … as he remembered with an odd little pang … with Lucille； and
the head…waiter； with a low bow； ushered them to their table。 Mr。
Skinner saw the preparations for their repast； the oysters； the
cocktails in tall glasses； the magnum of champagne in ice； and
chuckled。 To take supper with a duke was a novelty to him； but he
was not shy。 He sat down and tucked his serviette into his
waistcoat； raised his glass； and suddenly set it down again。
〃The boss！〃 he exclaimed in amazement。
Mr。 Sabin turned his head in the direction which his companion had
indicated。 Coming hastily across the room towards them； already
out of breath as though with much hurrying； was a thick…set； powerful
man； with the brutal face and coarse lips of a prizefighter； a beard
cropped so short as to seem the growth of a few days only covered
his chin； and his moustache； treated in the same way； was not thick
enough to conceal a cruel mouth。 He was carefully enough dressed；
and a great diamond flashed from his tie。 There was a red mark
round his forehead where his hat had been； and the perspiration was
streaming from his forehead。 He strode without hesitation to the
table where Mr。 Sabin and his guest were sitting； and without even
a glance at the former turned upon his myrmidon。
〃Where's that report？〃 he cried roughly。 〃'Where is it？〃
Mr。 Skinner seemed to have shrunk into a smaller man。 He pointed
across the table。
〃I've given it to him；〃 he said。 〃What's wrong； boss？〃
The newcomer raised his hand as though to strike Skinner。 He
gnashed his teeth with the effort to control himself。
〃You damned blithering idiot；〃 he said hoarsely； gripping the side
of the table。 〃Why wasn't it presented to me first？〃
〃Guess it didn't seem worth while；〃 Skinner answered。 〃There's
nothing in the darned thing。〃
〃You ignorant fool； hold your tongue；〃 was the fierce reply。
The newcomer sank into a chair and wiped the perspiration from
his streaming forehead。 Mr。 Sabin signaled to a waiter。
〃You seem upset； Mr。 Horser；〃 he remarked politely。 〃Allow me to
offer you a glass of wine。
Mr。 Horser did not immediately reply； but he accepted the glass
which the waiter brought him； and after a moment's hesitation
drained its contents。 Then he turned to Mr。 Sabin。
〃You said nothing about those letters you had had when you came
to see me this morning！〃
〃It was you yourself；〃 Mr。 Sabin reminded him； 〃who begged me not
to enter into particulars。 You sent me on to Mr。 Skinner。 I told
him everything。〃
Mr。 Horser leaned over the table。 His eyes were bloodshot； his
tone was fierce and threatening。 Mr。 Sabin was coldly courteous。
The difference between the demeanour of