e effectually disappeared."

I experienced a sinking of the heart. Eleanore had said: "Hannah can do
nothing for me." Could it be that the girl was indeed gone, and forever?

"I have innumerable agents at work, to say nothing of the general
public; and yet not so much as a whisper has come to me in regard to her
whereabouts or situation. I am only afraid we shall find her floating in
the river some fine morning, without a confession in her pocket."

"Everything hangs upon that girl's testimony," I remarked.

He gave a short grunt. "What does Miss Leavenworth say about it?"

"That the girl cannot help her."

I thought he looked a trifle surprised at this, but he covered it with a
nod and an exclamation. "She must be found for all that," said he, "and
shall, if I have to send out Q."

"Q?"

"An agent of mine who is a living interrogation point; so we call him
_Q,_ which is short for query." Then, as I turned again to go: "When the
contents of the will are made known, come to me."

The will! I had forgotten the will.

XV. WAYS OPENING

"It is not and it cannot come to good."
Hamlet.

I ATTENDED the funeral of Mr. Leavenworth, but did not see the
ladies before or after the ceremony. I, however, had a few moments'
conversation with Mr. Harwell; which, without eliciting anything new,
provided me with food for abundant conjecture. For he had asked, almost
at first greeting, if I had seen the _Telegram_ of the night before;
and when I responded in the affirmative, turned such a look of mingled
distress and appeal upon me, I was tempted to ask how such a frightful
insinuation against a young lady of reputation and breeding could ever
have got into the papers. It was his reply that struck me.

"That the guilty party might be driven by remorse to own himself the
true culprit."

A curious remark to come from a person who had no knowledge or
suspicion of the criminal and his character; and I would have pushed
the conversation further, but the secretary, who was a man of few words,
drew off at this, and could be induced to say no more. Evidently it was
my business to cultivate Mr. Clavering, or any one else who could throw
any light upon the secret history of these girls.

That evening I received notice that Mr. Veeley had arrived home, but
was in no condition to consult with me upon so painful a subject as
the murder of Mr. Leavenworth. Also a line from Eleanore, giving me her
address, but reques