instant she raised her eyes
imploringly, then lowered them.

"Then he has killed him--murdered him?" The words came as though each
syllable wrenched her heart.

"Killed him?" repeated Beard with rising inflection. "Why, what do you
mean?"

"My husband--Mr. Collins--he set out this morning to do it. For God's
sake," she implored, "don't keep me in suspense. Tell me what happened."

By a violent effort Beard recovered sufficient calm to note the
agitation of the woman.

"Why, no," he said reassuringly, "Mr. Whitmore hasn't been killed."

"But what has happened?" demanded Mrs. Collins with a gesture of
impatience.

"I cannot tell you," answered the secretary. "But something has
occurred--a grave crisis has arisen in Mr. Whitmore's life. He will not
be at his office for some time--perhaps not for weeks, or months, or
years. But he asked me to communicate with you, to let you know that he
will notify you the moment he returns. Meanwhile, he asks you to believe
in him, even though he cannot write to you. More than that I cannot tell
you."

Ward and his sister exchanged bewildered glances. The unexpected turn of
events left them speechless. And, before they were able to recover their
dazed senses, Beard slipped out of the office and lost himself among the
small army of clerks and bookkeepers in the outer room.

Ward, finally observing that he was alone with his sister, bestowed on
her a bitter smile.

"What a muddle!" he exclaimed. "Domestic trouble ... financial
difficulties!... Whitmore vanished! What next?"

She stared at him through swimming eyes. Her lips moved but no sound
came from them.

"Take the car home, Grace," he said in milder voice. "I'll go to the
office and try to puzzle this thing out."

CHAPTER IV

What had become of Herbert Whitmore?

Like a thief in the night he had slipped out of his Fifth Avenue home,
disappeared from his business, vanished like a specter, while the
domestic tragedy of the Collinses paused in anticipation of his
reappearance.

Beard, the confidential secretary, had taken possession of his
employer's office, and to all inquiries regarding Whitmore's absence,
made the same reply:

"He is gone indefinitely on a business trip."

Not even the persistent Collins was able to elicit anything additional.
No further information was vouchsafed Mrs. Collins, who had taken up her
abode with her brother; the financially troubled Ward, desperately
fighting off ruin, co