hings I want to ask him about this
morning."

A telephone bell at Arnold's desk began to ring. Arnold lifted the
receiver to his ear.

"Is that Mr. Weatherley's office?" a familiar voice inquired.

"Good morning, Mrs. Weatherley," he replied. "This is the office,
and I am Arnold Chetwode. We were just wondering what had become of
Mr. Weatherley."

"What had become of him?" the voice repeated. "But is he not there?"

"No sign of him at present," Arnold answered.

There was a short silence. Then Mrs. Weatherley spoke again.

"He left here," she said, "absurdly early--soon after seven, I think
it was--to motor up."

"Has the car returned?" Arnold asked.

"More than an hour ago," was the prompt reply.

"I can assure you that he has not been here," Arnold declared.
"You're speaking from Bourne End, I suppose?"

"Yes!"

"Will you please ask the chauffeur," Arnold suggested, "where he
left Mr. Weatherley?"

"Of course I will," she replied. "That is very sensible. You must
hold the line until I come back."

Arnold withdrew the receiver for a few minutes from his ear. Mr.
Jarvis had been listening to the conversation, his mouth open with
curiosity.

"Is that about the governor?" he asked.

Arnold nodded.

"It was Mrs. Weatherley speaking," he said. "It seems Mr. Weatherley
left Bourne End soon after seven o'clock this morning."

"Soon after seven o'clock?" Mr. Jarvis repeated.

"The car has been back there quite a long time," Arnold continued.
"Mrs. Weatherley has gone to make inquiries of the chauffeur."

"Most extraordinary thing," Mr. Jarvis muttered. "I can't say that
I've ever known the governor as late as this, unless he was ill."

Arnold put the receiver once more to his ear. In a moment or two
Mrs. Weatherley returned. Her voice was a little graver.

"I have spoken to the chauffeur," she announced. "He says that they
called first up in Hampstead to see if there were any letters, and
that afterwards he drove Mr. Weatherley over London Bridge and put
him down at the usual spot, just opposite to the London &
Westminster Bank. For some reason or other, as I dare say you know,"
she went on, "Mr. Weatherley never likes to bring the car into
Tooley Street. It was ten minutes past nine when he set him down and
left him there."

Arnold glanced at the clock.

"It is now," he said, "a quarter to eleven. The spot you speak of is
only two hundred yards away, but I can assure you that Mr.
Weatherley h