"No." faintly.

Parker showed his disappointment; he was not eliciting much information.
Abruptly he turned to Clymer, whose prominent position in the financial
world made him a familiar figure to all Washingtonians.

"Weren't you present in the police court on Tuesday morning also?"
Parker asked.

"Yes," Clymer modified the curt monosyllable by adding, "I helped Dr.
Stone carry Turnbull out of the prisoners' cage and into the anteroom."

"And did you recognize your cashier?" demanded Parker. At the question
Barbara set down her goblet of water without care for its perishable
quality and looked with quick intentness at the banker.

"I recognized Mr. Turnbull when his wig was removed," answered Clymer,
raising his head in time to catch Barbara's eyes gazing steadfastly at
him. With a faint flush she turned her attention to the reporter.

"Mr. Turnbull's make-up must have been superfine," Parker remarked.
"Just one more question. Can you tell me if Mr. Philip Rochester
recognized his room-mate when he was defending him in court?"

"No, I cannot," and observing Parker's blank expression, she added, "why
don't you ask Mr. Rochester?"

"Because I can't locate him; he seems to have vanished off the face of
the globe." The reporter rose. "You can't tell me where's he's gone, I
suppose?"

"I haven't the faintest idea," answered Barbara truthfully. "I was at
his office this--" she stopped abruptly on finding that Mrs. Brewster
was standing just behind her. Had the widow by chance overheard her
remark? If so, her father would probably learn of her visit to the
office of Rochester and Kent that morning.

"Do I understand that Philip Rochester is out of town?" inquired Mrs.
Brewster. "Why, I had an appointment with him to-morrow."

"He's gone and left no address that I can find," explained Parker.
"Thank you, Miss McIntyre; good evening," and the busy reporter hurried
away.

There was a curious expression in Mrs. Brewster's eyes, but she dropped
her gaze on her finger bowl too quickly for Clymer to analyze its
meaning.

"What can have taken Mr. Rochester out of town?" she asked. The question
was not addressed to any one in particular, but Colonel McIntyre
answered it, as he did most of the widow's remarks.

"Dry Washington," he explained. "It isn't the first trip Philip has made
to Baltimore since the 'dry' law has been in force, eh, Clymer?"

"No, and it won't be his last," was the banker's response. "What's the