masters" before?

"We ought to have called them in at once," Mrs. Stanlock said. "I
suppose they've gone by this time, but I'll see."

She pushed the buzzer button in the hall and soon the new chauffeur
appeared at the side entrance. Yes, the detectives had gone, but he
knew where they could be found--at the High Peak Athletic Club.

Mr. Stanlock at once called up the club and soon had one of the
detectives on the wire.

"Can you men come over at once?" he inquired. "One of the girls has
disappeared and we are afraid that something serious has happened."

"Yes, we'll be there right away," was the answer.

Twenty minutes later there was a ring at the door and the three
detectives, a tall thin man, a short heavy man, and a squarely built
angular man, were ushered in.

The short heavy man, named Meyers, was the most talkative of the
three. He put forth a string of questions as to when and where Helen
was last seen and what she was doing. Had anybody seen her go out of
the house? Nobody had. Was there anything peculiar in her manner in
the course of the day? Nothing peculiar. What kind of a girl was she?
What were her most noticeable characteristics? Had she any pronounced
likes and dislikes? Was she in the habit of doing things just to be
contrary? Was she a girl of good judgment, or flighty and
light-headed?