tion in his
look.

"Yes, you are so much like her that I would think you were--her sister
perhaps, if it were not for the name," Judge Blackwell went on. "She was a
most interesting and beautiful young lady." The old gentleman bestowed
upon the girl a look that was like a benediction. "Excuse me for speaking
of it, but her dress was something soft and beautiful, like yours, and
seemed to suit her face. I was deeply interested in her, although until
this afternoon she was a stranger. She came to me for a small matter of
business, and after it was attended to, and before she received the
papers, she disappeared! She had removed her hat and gloves, as she was
obliged to wait some time for certain matters to be looked up, and these
she left behind her. The hat is covered with long, handsome plumes of the
color of rich cream in coffee."

Young Dunham glanced down at the cloth of the girl's gown, and was
startled to find the same rich creamy-coffee tint in its silky folds; yet
she did not show by so much as a flicker of an eyelash that she was
passing under the keenest inspection. She toyed with the salted almonds
beside her plate and held the heavy silver fork as firmly as if she were
talking about the discovery of the north pole. Her voice was steady and
natural as she asked, "How could she disappear?"

"Well, that is more than I can understand. There were three doors in the
room where she sat, one opening into the inner office where I was at work,
and two opening into a hall, one on the side and the other on the end
opposite the freight elevator. We searched the entire building without
finding a clew, and I am deeply troubled."

"Why should she want to disappear?" The question was asked coolly and with
as much interest as a stranger would be likely to show.

"I cannot imagine," said the old man speculatively. "She apparently had
health and happiness, if one may judge from her appearance, and she came
to me of her own free will on a matter of business. Immediately after her
disappearance, two well-dressed men entered my office and inquired for
her. One had an intellectual head, but looked hard and cruel; the other
was very handsome--and disagreeable. When he could not find the young
lady, he laid claim to her hat, but I had it locked away. How could I know
that man was her friend or her relative? I intend to keep that hat until
the young woman herself claims it. I have not had anything happen that
has so upset me in ye