t we can't lose any
time. What you've told me to-day is very serious, sir, and must be
attended to at once. A couple of detectives will call at the House by
the Lock with a search-warrant before nightfall. I can assure you of
that. Until some definite conclusion is arrived at, Mr. Stanton, I
suppose you would prefer that your name didn't appear in the matter?"

"I don't care a hang whether it appears or not," I retorted recklessly.
Perhaps if I had been a little less reckless--but it is never profitable
to dwell on and brood over the mistakes of one's past.

The inspector assured me that a detective should call that night at the
hotel in Great Marlow where I had volunteered to remain, and give me all
particulars concerning the examination of the House by the Lock. The
appointment made was for eight o'clock, by which time, allowing for
obstacles and unforeseen delays, all was sure to be well over.

Though the inspector had promised that the New York police should be
communicated with, a great restlessness was upon me, and I resolved
myself to cable to America.

It was possible that the _St. Paul_, the ship in which Farnham had
been supposed to sail, was arriving at New York that day, though the
chances were, as the weather had been rough, that she would not have
made one of her record trips. However, there could be no harm in wiring,
and if the ship had got in all waste of time would be avoided.

I wrote out a despatch to the office of the American line in New York,
to be answered (reply prepaid) the moment the _St. Paul_ got in. In
this I enquired whether Mr. Harvey Farnham, of Denver, Colorado, had
been among the passengers. And not contenting myself with this I cabled
Farnham, both to Denver and New York, and to the manager of the Fifth
Avenue Hotel in the latter place, where I had been told that he usually
put up.

The answers to these messages I requested to have sent me at the hotel I
had chosen for my headquarters in Great Marlow.

The hours which must intervene before I could possibly hope for a return
I spent at the Wayfarers', and there I heard of Wildred, who had lunched
at the club with his friend Wigram, and later had been interrupted
during a game of billiards by a telegram. He had used some strong
language, and hurriedly excusing himself, had left in the midst of the
game.

Things had evidently been put into train early, I told myself with
satisfaction, and I concluded that the despatch had either