again worried?"

Selwyn nodded. "You knew he had left home? Knew he had taken a
bachelor apartment downtown?"

"I heard it day before yesterday. Kitty told me. Billie is pretty
upset about him. Being five years older and married, Billie is
seeing life rather differently from the way Harrie takes it, and the
latter's recklessness--"

Selwyn looked at me, then away. "The boy is beyond comprehension. I
haven't seen him but once in nearly two weeks. Five days before
Christmas he had his trunk and certain things sent down-town, and
wrote me a note telling of the apartment he'd taken. I've been to
see him several times, but he's never in and, I'm told, hasn't been
in now for over a week. I've written him, made every inquiry likely
to lead to information without exciting undue suspicion, and now,
unless I go to the police--" Biting the ends of his close-cut
mustache, Selwyn stopped abruptly.

"Does Mrs. Swink know he has left home?"

"If she doesn't, she'll know it to-morrow when she gets my answer to
this." Taking a letter from his pocket, Selwyn threw it on the table
behind me. "Later you can read that, if you've time to waste. I got
it to-day. Harrie hasn't been to see Madeleine for over a week.
Mrs. Swink wants to know why. Wants to know where he is. So do I."

"Didn't he dine with Mildred on Christmas day? I thought both of you
were always there at Christmas."