hold
as you do."

Jerry never delayed after the day's work was over. He washed up, put on
his coat, and hurried forth to his boarding place.

When Jerry reached the house he found little Dottie on the stoop, with
Tommy in her arms. Tommy was crying for something to eat, and the little
girl was having her hands full with him.

"Where is Miss Nellie?" asked our hero in surprise.

"I don't know," returned the girl. "She sent me out with Tommy after
dinner, and when I tried to get in after a while the door was locked and
she was gone."

"And you have been sitting here ever since?"

"Yes."

"Come up. I'll open the door."

Jerry led the way, and with a night key opened the door to the kitchen.

A cry of surprise burst from his lips. Everywhere were the signs of a
desperate struggle. Two of the chairs were overturned, the table-cloth
hung half off the table, and Nellie Ardell's sewing was strewn in all
directions.

"This is Slocum's work!"

Those were the words which arose to the youth's lips as he surveyed the
situation in the kitchen.

Alexander Slocum had tried to get him out of the way, and now he had tried
the same plan upon Nellie Ardell.

There had been a fierce struggle, of that there was not the slightest
doubt.

But the girl had been overpowered in the end and taken off.

To where?

That was the all important question.

While our hero was gazing around the room, little Tommy was crying at the
top of his lungs.

To quiet him, Jerry gave him his bowl of bread and milk, and also gave
Dottie her supper.

Then Jerry began a minute examination of the rooms.

There was mud on the oil-cloth--the tracks of four boots.

"Slocum and Casey, his book-keeper," he said to himself.

Going below he interviewed Mrs. Flannigan, a good-natured Irish woman who
lived on the nest floor.

"Did you see Miss Ardell this afternoon?"

"Sure, an' Oi did not Oi was out," she replied.

He next tried the janitress, who lived in the basement. She was a peppery
old woman who seldom had a pleasant word for anybody.

"Did I see her? Yes, she went out with two men about two hours ago," she
said.

"What sort of looking men?"

"I can't say--I'm not taking notice of everybody who comes and goes."

"But this is important, Mrs. Foley. I am afraid something has happened to
Miss Ardell."

"They were tall men, and I guess both had big black mustaches and
beards."

"Where did she go with them?"

"Into a carriage. Al