"I think Mr. Taylor will have no hesitation in agreeing with you that
he is clever; nevertheless, it might be worth while to see him and to
assist him if you can, because nothing so takes the public as a romance
in high life. Here is his address; would you mind calling on him?"

"Not at all," replied the young woman, copying the street and number in
her note-book.

CHAPTER X. JENNIE ASSISTS IN SEARCHING FOR HERSELF.

Next day Jennie Baxter drove to the address the editor had given her,
and she found Mr. Cadbury Taylor at home, in somewhat sumptuous offices
on the first floor. Fastened to his door was a brass plate, which
exposed to public view the carven words--

CADBURY TAYLOR,
Private Enquiry Agent.

The detective was quite evidently very glad to see her.

"I intended calling to-day at the office of the _Bugle_ on the chance of
finding you," he said; "but I am delighted to meet you here, because we
can talk without fear of interruption. Has the editor told you anything
of this case?"

"Very little; he didn't seem to know much about it himself."

"It was impossible for me to go into full particulars with him. I could
only give him a hint or two in order to convey to him some idea of the
interest which the mystery, when solved, might have from a newspaper
standpoint. Of course I wished to gain his assistance so that he might,
perhaps, persuade you to help me in this matter."

"He seems to be quite willing that I should lend what aid I can," said
Jennie; "but I must have full details before I promise. I have a good
deal of work on hand, and, unless this case is interesting from a
newspaper point of view, as you have just said, I don't think that I
should care to touch it."

"Oh, you will find it of great interest," the detective assured her with
much eagerness. "It relates to the sudden and hitherto unexplained
disappearance of a woman. That of itself is absorbing, for I may tell
you, as one having a large experience, that there is nothing more
difficult in this world than for any person, and more especially for a
woman, to disappear entirely and leave no trace behind."

"I should have thought it quite easy," said Jennie, "especially in a
large city like London."

"You have given expression to the universal opinion, but I pledge you my
word that a completely successful disappearance is one of the most
rare events that we detectives have to meet with in our line of
investigation."

"Please