disgust he flung the paper from him and took up another.

FOUL PLAY SUSPECTED! BEAUTIFUL YOUNG HEIRESS MISSING

His soul turned sick within him. He looked up and saw a little procession
of late revellers rushing out to the last suburban train, the girls
leaving a trail of orris perfume and a vision of dainty opera cloaks. One
of the men was a city friend of his. Dunham half envied him his
unperturbed mind. To be sure, he would not get back to the city till three
in the morning, but he would have no visions of robberies and fair
lunatics and hard pressed maidens unjustly pursued, to mar his rest.

Dunham buttoned his coat and turned up his collar as he started out into
the street, for the night had turned cold, and his nerves made him chilly.
As he walked, the blood began to race more healthily in his veins, and the
horrors of the evening papers were dispelled. In their place came pleasant
memories of the evening at Mrs. Bowman's, of the music, and of their ride
and talk together. In his heart a hope began to rise that her dark days
would pass, and that he might find her again and know her better.

His brief night's sleep was cut short by a sharp knock at his door the
next morning. He awoke with a confused idea of being on a sleeping-car,
and wondered if he had plenty of time to dress, but his sister's voice
quickly dispelled the illusion.

"Tryon, aren't you almost ready to come down to breakfast? Do hurry,
please. I've something awfully important to consult you about."

His sister's tone told him there was need for haste if he would keep in
her good graces, so he made a hurried toilet and went down, to find his
household in a state of subdued excitement.

"I'm just as worried as I can be," declared his mother. "I want to consult
you, Tryon. I have put such implicit confidence in Norah, and I cannot
bear to accuse her unjustly, but I have missed a number of little things
lately. There was my gold link bag----"

"Mother, you know you said you were sure you left that at the Century
Club."

"Don't interrupt, Cornelia. Of course it is possible I left it at the club
rooms, but I begin to think now I didn't have it with me at all. Then
there is my opal ring. To be sure, it isn't worth a great deal, but one
who will take little things will take large ones."

"What's the matter, Mother? Norah been appropriating property not her
own?"

"I'm very much afraid she has, Tryon. What would you do about it? It is so
unp