arties concerned, as the
affair is a secret, I will relate you my experience regarding it."

The speaker was Q, the rising young detective, universally acknowledged
by us of the force as the most astute man for mysterious and
unprecedented cases, then in the bureau, always and of course excepting
Mr. Gryce; and such a statement from him could not but arouse our
deepest curiosity. Drawing up, then, to the stove around which we
were sitting in lazy enjoyment of one of those off-hours so dear to
a detective's heart, we gave with alacrity the required promise; and
settling himself back with the satisfied air of a man who has a good
story to tell that does not entirely lack certain points redounding to
his own credit, he began:

I was one Sunday morning loitering at the ----- Precinct Station, when
the door opened and a respectable-looking middle-aged woman came in,
whose agitated air at once attracted my attention. Going up to her, I
asked her what she wanted.

"A detective," she replied, glancing cautiously about on the faces of
the various men scattered through the room. "I don't wish anything said
about it, but a girl disappeared from our house last night, and"--she
stopped here, her emotion seeming to choke her--"and I want some one to
look her up," she went on at last with the most intense emphasis.

"A girl? what kind of a girl; and what house do you mean when you say
our house?"

She looked at me keenly before replying. "You are a young man," said
she; "isn't there some one here more responsible than yourself that I
can talk to?"

I shrugged my shoulders and beckoned to Mr. Gryce who was just then
passing. She at once seemed to put confidence in him. Drawing him aside,
she whispered a few low eager words which I could not hear. He listened
nonchalantly for a moment but suddenly made a move which I knew
indicated strong and surprised interest, though from his face--but you
know what Gryce's face is. I was about to walk off, convinced he had
got hold of something he would prefer to manage himself, when the
Superintendent came in.

"Where is Gryce?" asked he; "tell him I want him."

Mr. Gryce heard him and hastened forward. As he passed me, he whispered,
"Take a man and go with this woman; look into matters and send me word
if you want me; I will be here for two hours."

I did not need a second permission. Beckoning to Harris, I reapproached
the woman. "Where do you come from," said I, "I am to go back with y