"Business, my friend. But it is finished. Yes, I take a
holiday." But, indeed, he had not the time. He looked at the clock upon his mantelpiece. "At this hour, too?" "Where is Mr. he asked. "I have shown him into the library." "I will come to him." But he was in no hurry. "It is very odd," he said. Everybody said so. He simply vanished. But there never was any answer,
and London has no time for unanswered questions. I ask myself." You shall command me now and always. "This is Mr. Hanaud." The young man turned eagerly. "I am very glad," he said. "You are not an official of this country. Hanaud frowned. I am in a difficulty too big for
me. "I was at the Semiramis last night," said Calladine, naming one of the
great hotels upon the Embankment. I went." I ran down after her. she cried, with a little jump, and clasping her hands. 'I am, as you see, straight out of an opera. You are--what you will. I asked. I
spoke to her, but she did not hear. "'No,' she answered. But I don't know her.' She is staying at the
Semiramis too. And she did undoubtedly banish it. But I don't know anyone. I asked. "'Oh, yes. Let us go.' "'I shall go,' she said abruptly. 'I am tired. I recognized
her wisdom. I asked. "'Yes. "She was speaking lightly as she held out her hand, but her grip
tightened a little and--clung. She shivered. "It was an extraordinary phrase for her to use, and it moved me. I urged. 'No, no,'
she answered quickly. "Half-past one," he said sagely. Hanaud asked of Calladine. "True," said Mr. Ricardo. He was puzzled, haunted, and
charmed. "It has gone." Down here all was
dark. "Yes," she said. For one thing,
they improve on me. I haven't got any, of course. I have no money. She was speaking in a dull, monotonous voice. "And I never noticed them at all," he said. All the evening they
tempted me. Oh, I was mad." But she held out her hand. "No, I am all right." "Yes. All the maids do. "Then I crept out. The corridor was dimly lit. Up
here it was as silent as the grave. I
found myself in a lobby. But I
couldn't. The night was too near to her, its memory too
poignant with terror. she asked. Go on." I was helpless." he said slowly. "I didn't see them at first. I was blinded. Oh, it was terrible! I was lifted to the
centre of the room. The jet went out, the electric lights were turned
on. he said. I was lying there quite free." "I didn't look," she answered. "I looked at the bed. I was terrified. "I know no
one else." "Yes." "Quite." "No. It's not mine. "That's it. "Oh, you don't believe me," she cried. And she held up the necklace. He looked at her. She was frank about herself. "You must go back," he said. It was only a
step to the Semiramis. she cried eagerly, clinging for a moment to his arm. "Wait in until you hear from me. "Thank you," she said fervently. He looked upon the young man with disfavour, as
upon one who had half opened a door upon a theatre of great promise
and shown him a spectacle not up to the mark. "Yes." "I was worried out of
my mind. "Let us go round to your young friend's rooms in the Adelphi," he
said; and the three men drove thither at once. "So you live here, Mr. "Yes." "Yes." "I don't keep a valet," said Calladine; and again the curious look
came into Hanaud's eyes. "I mean, I have a liking for quiet." "Yes, yes. Let me hear it, I pray." "But why should they," asked Hanaud, "if your name isn't Dr. he said. "Yes," he said, "I have." Hanaud, however, stepped forward. He looked into a vase and turned it
upside down. You were quite right, my
friend, this morning. For instance, here we are in
London in the early summer. No. Nor can I. "Yes," said Ricardo. "He has no servants here at night. Hanaud asked at a movement from Ricardo. he said. Hanaud nodded. "It is. Kew has them, I have no doubt. Paris certainly
has. They are labelled. asked Ricardo. "Mescal." "Why?" he asked. "Mescal is a drug." he said. Hanaud picked it up. "No," he replied. "Now, why?" Hanaud asked. "I will tell you. "I am quite sure," he returned. He tried this drug." That is what he saw. He looked round the room. "I begin to see." "I do not know," said Hanaud. I ask
them of you. You see a flaw in my argument," said Hanaud. cried Hanaud. "Come with me, my friend. He had
the dramatic instinct, and rejoiced in it. Hanaud asked. "Ah, you understand," he said. At
times--yes, like the rest of us. Then his doubt returned
to him. "Yes. That is the weak point in my theory. You have hit it. But not always. We must wait." asked Ricardo, beaming with pride. But he was
plainly very ill at ease. His theory was working out. "Yes," he stammered. She is not in
the hotel. "Then there is no reason for us to wait," said Hanaud. he gasped. "Listen," said Hanaud. he cried. "I don't know yet," he said. "We will buy a paper." "Let us go back," said Hanaud. "I will ask," replied the woman. "It does not matter. I will go straight in," said Hanaud quietly. Hanaud bowed. "But you have heard it," she answered. "Not from you," said Hanaud. Hanaud, however, was
the perfect listener. "Thank you," said Hanaud when she had done. "I will answer them." "Never." Hanaud did not move. "Yes." "Yes." "Why?" "I will tell you," said Joan Carew. cried Hanaud. "Yes. My maid did not see it." Then I went out and posted it." Hanaud inquired. "You had your wits about you, I see," he said. Hanaud laughed grimly. "No," she answered in an awe-stricken voice. "Well, then, it is. "Yes." Make a guess. "I should think so." Not a doubt of it. "Thank you," said Joan, and the pair drove away in a cab together. "It was all right," he said. "The police were very kind. asked Ricardo. "Oh, yes; she is not to go. But listen. That is the value of the chance." "Exactly," replied Hanaud. It is true. He looked at Ricardo. "I have some
experience in these matters," he said loftily to Hanaud. Hanaud grinned from ear to ear. The days flew by. "It has been going on for some time," she began. I was terrified to go to
sleep. cried Hanaud, and a note of sternness rang suddenly in his
voice. asked Hanaud, and Mr. Ricardo leaned forward, swaying between
the austerity of criticism and the desire to believe so thrilling a
revelation. asked Ricardo. "I waited," said Joan. "Yes," replied Hanaud. I wished
to dream, but----"
"But you could not," suggested Hanaud. Hanaud nodded. But there was neither the one nor the other. He lives aloof. "Thank you," said Hanaud gravely. "It was the very night of my début," she continued. She frowned. "I was disappointed. asked Hanaud. "No." "No. I try all
the time to remember. But it is no good." "I know," she exclaimed. "I was at the opera." Hanaud nodded his head. "Yes." "Very well," said Hanaud. "Yes." "Picture to yourself the dining-room, the tables. "Yes." "No." "No." "No." "No." "No." "No." he grunted. "No." "And that is all," she said. "Thank you," said Hanaud. she cried, as she rose to her feet. "Yes," he said, "all that you are thinking is true enough. exclaimed Ricardo. "We will go and sit in your box at
the opera to-night," he said, "and you shall explain to me all through
the beautiful music the theory of the tonic sol-fa." "I like that." "Yes, this is wonderful," said Hanaud. But he did his best. "They will come out," said Hanaud. he cried. "Once more we are in luck. "So, so," he said. returned Hanaud. Blumenstein." he exclaimed. He looked again. He had it now. He felt it
in his very spine. "Yes." he said. exclaimed Hanaud; and in his passion for the contrasts of drama
Ricardo was almost disappointed. You shall know. "Has been," replied Clements dryly. "She was singing in New York, of course, during the winter," he
returned. She came to me in a
panic. asked Ricardo. She came to me beaming. Luckily she didn't. The lights had been turned off, the great room was emptying. "So I see you have found it all out, my friend," he said. "Not at all," said Hanaud. He dipped his spoon into his egg. Hanaud nodded his head. "Exactly." Again Hanaud agreed. "Yes," said Hanaud. "But of course," he said, "I could not have worked the problem out but
for you. Hanaud laughed. "Yes. "Yes." "Wait, wait!" "It is all for
your sake, my friend," he said with a chuckle. "Nonsense," said Ricardo. At
luncheon he was no better. "Yes. "Yes. It is a showy part. "Yes. That is wise. "There's the overture," said Hanaud. When it
did, he was horrified. "You must be mad. "No, he won't," replied Hanaud. I know where he is. "She is wonderful," he said, like a man waking up. "We will go round to the back of the stage," said Hanaud. Her
face was troubled, her eyes afraid. There
was no need for Joan to act. He ceased to struggle. exclaimed Favart. "In the property-room of the theatre," he said. "You are
here, too, are you?" "Let us go to the property-room," he said. asked Hanaud. exclaimed Ricardo. Hanaud nodded. Hanaud agreed. "Why?" asked Hanaud. "You did," said Mr. Ricardo. replied Hanaud, shrugging his shoulders. "I remember
now." "Yes," replied Hanaud. "Why?" asked Ricardo.