ss for the third time, and, with a menacing
sweep of the hand, seized his riding-whip.

"I don't advise you to come here with your proofs," he snarled. "The
only proof I would look at is the woman herself. Now, sir, I have warned
you fairly. Are you going?"

His attitude was openly threatening, but Carey's eyes were piercingly
upon him, and, in spite of himself, he paused. So for the passage of
seconds they stood; then slowly Carey turned away.

"I am going," he said, "to find your wife."

He did not glance again at the picture as he passed from the room. He
could not bring himself to meet the dark eyes that followed him.

V

Yes; he would find her. But how? There was only one course open to him,
and he shrank from that with disgust unutterable. It was useless to
think of advertising. He was convinced that she would never answer an
advertisement.

The only way to find her was to employ a detective to track her down. He
clenched his hands in impotent revolt. Not only had it been laid upon
him to betray her confidence, but he must follow this up by dragging her
from her hiding-place, and returning her to the bitter bondage from
which he had once helped her to escape.

That she still lived he was inwardly convinced. He would have given all
he had to have known her dead.

But, for that day, at least, there was no more to be done, and Gwen must
not have her birthday spoilt by the knowledge of his failure. He decided
to keep out of her way till the evening.

When he entered the ball-room at the appointed time she pounced upon him
eagerly, but her young guests were nearly all assembled, and it was no
moment for private conversation.

"Oh, Reggie! There you are! How dreadful you look in a mask! This is my
cousin, _mademoiselle_," turning to a lady in black who accompanied her.
"I've been wanting to introduce him to you. Don't forget that the masks
are not to come off till midnight. We're going to boom the big gong when
the clock strikes twelve."

She flitted away in her shimmering fairy's dress, closely attended by
Charlie Rivers, to persuade his father to give her a dance. The room was
crowded with masked guests, Lady Emberdale, handsome and brilliant, and
Admiral Rivers, her bluff but faithful admirer, being the only
exceptions to the rule of the evening.

Carey found himself standing apart with Gwen's particular _protegee_,
and he realised at once that he could expect no help from Charlie in
this quarter.