ck. I know she said she would like her husband to see it. Monsieur
and Madame Wachner often take their meals here. I will ask them if they
have the letter."

"Well, at any rate, we had better open Madame Wolsky's trunks; that may
give us some clue," said the Commissioner in a weary voice.

And, to Sylvia's confusion and distress, they all then proceeded to the
bed-room where she had last seen her friend, and there Monsieur Malfait
broke the locks of Anna Wolsky's two large trunks.

But the contents of Anna's trunks taught them nothing. They were only the
kind of objects and clothes that a woman who travelled about the world a
great deal would naturally take with her. Everything, however, was taken
out, turned over, and looked at.

"If your friend possessed a passport," said the police official in a
dissatisfied tone, "she has evidently taken it with her. There is nothing
of any consequence at all in those boxes. We had better shut them up
again, and leave them."

But when they came down again into the hall, he suddenly asked Monsieur
Malfait, "Well, where is the letter?" He had evidently forgotten Madame
Malfait's involved explanation.

"I will send you the letter to-morrow," said Monsieur Malfait smoothly.
"The truth is, we handed it to a lady who was also a friend of Madame
Wolsky, and she evidently forgot to give it back to us. We will find out
whether she has kept it."

On the way back the Commissioner of Police said gaily,

"It is quite clear that Madame"--he turned and bowed courteously to
Sylvia--"knows very little of Lacville, Monsieur le Comte! Why, people
are always disappearing from Lacville! My time would indeed be full were
I to follow all those who go away in a hurry--not but what I have been
only too delighted to do this for Madame and for Monsieur le Comte."

He then bowed to the Count and stared smilingly at Sylvia.

"I am pleased to think," he went on playfully, "that Madame herself is
not likely to meet with any unpleasant adventure here, for the Villa du
Lac is a most excellent and well-conducted house. Be assured, Madame,
that I will find out in the next few hours if your friend has met with
an accident in the Paris streets."

He left them at the gate of the Villa.

When the Commissioner had quite disappeared, the Count observed, "Well,
we have done what you wished. But it has not had much result, has it?"

Sylvia shook her head disconsolately.

"No, Count Paul. I am afraid I made a