.

"I ought to have gone," continued Judge Trent. "Really I didn't suppose
that a fellow recommended as an expert by such high authority as
himself could be so invertebrate. You actually came away just because
the girl told you to. Why, a novice could have done that."

Dunham regarded the little man with a stern displeasure which
entertained the judge highly. Then John turned toward Miss Lacey: "Just
where is this farm you speak of?"

"It's in Casco Bay. You take the train from Portland and then drive."

"And this man with the strange name?" pursued Dunham.

"Oh, it isn't his name, but nobody thinks of calling him anything else.
He's Judge Trent's cousin, Jacob Johnson, and he lives on this farm
winter and summer. He's a good soul, and he was cousin to Sylvia's
mother, too, of course, and he"--

"Casco Bay. I have friends who go there in the summer." Dunham's manner
grew purposeful.

Judge Trent rubbed his chin the wrong way. "I _could_ send a detective,
Martha," he said thoughtfully. "I don't keep them in the back yard, but
I usually have one around the office. I could shadow the girl."

Miss Lacey took hope. This met her longings. "If we only surely knew
where she is!" she responded acutely.

"Yes, if we only did," the judge replied equably. "Where is she,
Dunham?"

The young man flushed at the question.

"I can't tell you," he answered, after a moment's pause.

"Of course he can't," exclaimed Martha. "How queer you act, Calvin.
_Do_ you intend to do anything, after all?" Tears sprang to her eyes
and overflowed, but she paid no attention to them as she gazed
distractedly at the exasperating lawyer.

Judge Trent's manner changed. He even smiled into the tearful
countenance, and as she had suddenly risen he rose too.

"Yes, Martha," he answered, "I expect to see something done about it
right away. The fat actor shan't get Laura's little girl this time."

Miss Lacey regarded the shrewd face in the intervals of wiping her
eyes. "You'll telegraph to Sylvia, and send another message to
Thinkright to come right here. Of course we can't be sure that Sylvia
will get it, though--and there's all Thinkright's traveling expenses."
The speaker's wet eyes looked appealing.

"Dunham's going to tell us where Sylvia is," returned the judge
quietly. He paused, and Martha looked bewildered by this persistence.
She turned toward John questioningly.

"I can't," replied Dunham again.

Judge Trent shrugged his shabby s