? I knew that they
had sailed for France, but for what part of France? They would
disembark at Havre--how was I, reaching Havre, two weeks later, to
discover which direction they had taken? Suppose they had gone to
Paris, as seemed most probable, how could I ever hope to find them
there? Even if I did find them, would I be in time to checkmate
Martigny?

For a time, I paused, appalled at the magnitude of the task that lay
before me--in all France, to find three people! But, after all, it
might not be so great. Most probably, these women were from one of the
towns Holladay and his wife had visited during their stay in France.
Which towns they were, I, of course, had no means of knowing; yet I
felt certain that some means of discovering them would present itself.
That must be my work for the morrow.

A half-hour passed, and I sat lost in speculation, watching the blue
smoke curling upward, striving vainly to penetrate the mystery. For I
was as far as ever from a solution of it. Who were these people? What
was their aim? How had they managed to win Miss Holladay over to their
side; to persuade her to accompany them; to flee from her
friends--above all, from our junior partner? How had they caused her
change of attitude toward him? Or had they really abducted her? Was
there really danger of foul play--danger that she would fall a victim,
as well as her father? Who was Martigny? And, above all, what was the
plot? What did he hope to gain? What was he striving for? What was
this great stake, for which he risked so much?

To these questions I could find no reasonable answer; I was still
groping aimlessly in the dark; and at last in sheer confusion, I put
down my pipe, turned out the light, and went to bed.

CHAPTER XIII

En Voyage

Mr. Graham's congratulations next morning quite overwhelmed me.

"I never expected such complete and speedy success, Mr. Lester," he
said warmly. "You've done splendid work."

I pointed out to him that, after all, my success was purely the result
of accident. Had I been really clever, I should have instantly
suspected what that sudden seizure on the station platform meant, I
should have hurried back to the scene, and followed Martigny--as I
still called him in my thoughts--to the hospital, on the chance of
securing his first address. Instead of which, if chance had not
befriended me, I should have been as far as ever from a solution of
the mystery. I trembled to think upon what a