hastily up. Meeting Mr. Gryce's bland smile, he returned the bow, but
haughtily, and as it appeared in an abstracted way.

"Allow me to introduce myself," proceeded my superior. "I am Mr. Gryce
from the detective bureau. We were notified this morning that a girl
in your employ had disappeared from your house last night in a
somewhat strange and unusual way, and I just stepped over with my man
here, to see if the matter is of sufficient importance to inquire
into. With many apologies for the intrusion, I stand obedient to your
orders."

With a frown expressive of annoyance, Mr. Blake glanced around and
detecting Mrs. Daniels, said: "Did you consider the affair so
serious as that?"

She nodded, seeming to find it difficult to speak.

He remained looking at her with an expression of some doubt. "I can
hardly think," said he, "such extreme measures were necessary; the
girl will doubtless come back, or if not--" His shoulders gave a
slight shrug and he took out his gloves.

"The difficulty seems to be," quoth Mr. Gryce eyeing those gloves with
his most intent and concentrated look, "that the girl did not go
alone, but was helped away, or forced away, by parties who had
previously broken into your house."

"That is a strange circumstance," remarked Mr. Blake, but still
without any appearance of interest, "and if you are sure of what you
say, demands, perhaps, some inquiry. I would not wish to put anything