of a hundred
miles would fatigue a man of my constitution? I assure you that you are
greatly mistaken if you think I am feeling my age. Seventy! And I don't
feel a day over fifty, not a day, sir. But I shall rest for a few hours
as a precaution, a mere precautionary measure and be able to meet you
for our little business at two-thirty sharp."

"That will suit me perfectly," replied Seebrook.

Archie hung about impatiently waiting for the Governor to make his
farewells to the old lady and her granddaughters on whom he had expended
his social talents at the dance. Mr. Congdon was quarreling with the
clerk over the location of the room he had reserved; he wanted no room
with a western exposure as such rooms were always so baked by the
afternoon sun that they were as hot as tropical jungles at night. Having
frightened the clerk into readjusting the entire registration to
accommodate him, he demanded to know whether his son, Mr. Putney
Congdon, was stopping in the house.

"Mind you, I have no reason to believe he _is_ here, but I've been
asking for him everywhere along the road."

Assured that Mr. Putney Congdon was not in the inn and hadn't been there
within the recollection of the office staff, the senior Congdon exploded
violently upon Seebrook and Walters.

"Things have come to a pretty pass in this topsy turvy world when a man
can't find his own son! For three days I've been wiring his clubs and
all other places he could possibly be without result. And I have learned
that his wife has left Bailey Harbor and the house there is closed.
Closed! How dare they close that house when I was about to pay them a
visit? I spent thirty-five dollars last night in telephoning trying to
find out what's become of my son and his family and I got nothing for my
money--nothing!"

Seebrook and Walters expressed their sympathy in mild tones that roused
the old gentleman to greater fury.

"Can a whole family be obliterated and no trace left behind? Is it
possible that they've been murdered in their beds, servants and all, and
the police not yet aware of it?"

At the mention of murder Archie began stealthily feeling his way along
the cigar counter to a water cooler. He drank two glasses of ice water
while he listened to Eliphalet's grievances against all things visible
and invisible. There seemed to be no escaping from the Congdons and here
was the father of Putney boldly publishing to the whole state of New
Hampshire his fear that