andoned. The back door and windows were
securely fastened. Returning to the front, he carefully closed the gate,
and knocked at the door of the adjoining house.

The name of the house was "Sans Souci," and the door was opened by a
lady in rich purple, with a string of pearls.

Monsieur Dupont swept off his hat.

"Madame, I make a thousand apologies! Can you tell me when I shall find
Miss Masters at home."

His extreme bulk and the fact that he was not an Englishman seemed to
cause the lady considerable amusement.

"I'm sure I don't know," she said engagingly. "I think she's gone away."

"Away?" Monsieur Dupont echoed.

"She left in a great hurry two hours ago," the lady informed him. "In a
motor."

Monsieur Dupont appeared somewhat staggered.

"Two hours ago...." he muttered.

"I heard a noise going on in the house," continued the lady, "as if she
was packing quickly. She went off with a couple of boxes, and seemed
very impatient."

"It is most unfortunate," said Monsieur Dupont mildly. "I have come all
the way from the Strand to see her."

The lady laughed freely.

"I'm very sorry," she said good-naturedly. "Won't you come in and rest a
bit?"

"Madame," he said, "you are very good, but I must return to the Strand.
Would you allow me to ask you some questions, without finding me
impertinent?"

"What are they?" she asked.

"Will you tell me if any particular person was in the habit of visiting
Miss Masters?"

The lady stiffened slightly.

"Are you a friend of Miss Masters?" she inquired, shortly.

"I am not," Monsieur Dupont admitted frankly. "I have never seen her. It
is a few hours ago that I heard her name for the first time."

"I really cannot answer any questions to a stranger," said the lady
stiffly. "I don't know you."

Monsieur Dupont bowed.

"If you did, madame," he said, "I should be the proudest of men. Do me
the favor to read this letter."

He produced the letter from the French Embassy, and handed it to her.
She read it, and was duly impressed.

"Of course I'll do anything for the French Embassy," she said, returning
the letter with dignity. "Miss Masters wasn't what you might call a
friend of mine. I used to speak to her because she lived in the next
house, but it didn't go beyond that. She kept very much to herself. I
don't want to say anything at all unkind, but very few ladies in our set
knew her. Of course it wasn't her fault, but she was not exactly classy.
And when on