t him a message of inquiry. This
being unanswered, they made inquiry at his up-town hotel, and
then began a search, which ended in the conviction that young
Trent had met with misfortune, if not foul play. On Monday
last he left the hotel, saying to one of the inmates of the
house that he should have possession of a fine suite of
rooms, within three blocks of the north entrance, which
presumably means Fifty-seventh Street, within three days, and
that he meant to send for his friends that day by telegraph.
No message was received at his home, as has been said, and
nothing has been heard of him since that day.

'"Young Trent wore, rather unwisely, a couple of valuable
diamonds, one in a solitaire ring, the other in a scarf-pin;
he also carried a fine watch, and was well supplied with
money. The police are working hard upon the case. The list of
the missing seems to be increasing."'

* * * * *

I put the paper down and looked across at Miss Jenrys. I had
recognised the name Hilda O'Neil as that of her Boston correspondent
whose letter I had found in the little black bag, and by association
the name of Gerald Trent also. Miss Jenrys was looking pale and
startled.

'Oh!' she exclaimed. 'That is what Hilda's telegram meant.'

'You have had a telegram from Boston?' I ventured.

'Yes. You perhaps remember the letter in my bag?'

I nodded.

'In that letter Hilda--Miss O'Neil--spoke of Mr. Trent's delay, and of
her anxiety. I did not reply to her letter at first, expecting to hear
from or see her, for she had my address. It was only a freak my
telling her to write me through the World's Fair post-office; but when
she did not come--on the day before I met you, in fact--I wrote just a
few lines of inquiry. In reply to this I received a telegram last
evening. I will get it.' She crossed the room and opened a little
traveller's writing-case, coming back with a yellow envelope in her
hand. 'There it is,' she said, holding it out to me.

I took it and read the words:

'Have you seen Gerald? Hilda.'

'Did you reply to this?' I asked, as I gave it back to her.

'At once--just the one word, "No."'

'Do you know this young man?' I asked.

'I have never even seen him, but I know that he bears a splendid
reputation for manliness, sobriety, and studiousness. He was something
of a bookworm at college, I believe, and has developed a tas