eart out in misery, he arranged his affairs, received those
two daily telegrams from Miss Goodman with their dreadful words, "No
news," and haunted the bookbinder's, and Meiklejohn's door hoping to see
some of the crew of Winifred's persecutors. At the bookbinder's he
learned of the visit of the supposed clergyman, whose name, however, did
not appear in the lists of any denomination.

At last arrived a telegram from Burlington, Vermont. "Come and see me.
Clancy." Grown wary by experience, Carshaw ascertained first that Clancy
was really at Burlington. Then he instructed Miss Goodman to telegraph
to him in the north, and quitted New York by the night train.

In the sporting columns of an evening paper he read of the sale of his
polo ponies. The scribe regretted the suggested disappearance from the
game of "one of the best Number Ones" he had ever seen. The Long Island
estate was let already, and Mrs. Carshaw would leave her expensive flat
when the lease expired.

Early next day he was greeted by Clancy.

"Glad to see you, Mr. Carshaw," said the little man. "Been here before?
No? Charming town. None of the infernal racket of New York about life in
Burlington. Any one who got bitten by that bug here would be afflicted
like the Gadarene swine and rush into Lake Champlain. Walk to the hotel?
It's a fine morning, and you'll get some bully views of the Adirondacks
as you climb the hill."

"Winifred is gone. Hasn't the Bureau kept you informed?"

Clancy sighed.

"I've had Winifred on my mind for days," he said irritably. "Can't you
forget her for half an hour?"

"She's gone, I tell you. Spirited away the very day I asked her to marry
me."

"Well, well. Why didn't you ask her sooner?"

"I had to arrange my affairs. I am poor now. How could I marry Winifred
under false pretenses?"

"What, then? Did she love you for your supposed wealth?"

"Mr. Clancy, I am tortured. Why have you brought me here?"

"To stop you from playing Meiklejohn's game. I hear that you camp
outside his apartment-house. You and I are going back to New York this
very day, and the Bureau will soon find your Winifred. By the way, how
did you happen onto the Senator's connection with the affair?"

Taking hope, Carshaw told his story. Clancy listened while they
breakfasted. Then he unfolded a record of local events.

"The Bureau has known for some time that Senator Meiklejohn's past
offered some rather remarkable problems," he said, dropping his