The outer door rattled noisily. Drake took a second quick look at the
note and stuffed it into his pocket. Puffy Adams stormed in and
stopped abruptly with a shocked look in his eyes.

"Been havin' a party?" he asked whimsically. "Looks like the guests
came on a whirlwind."

Drake was silent. He started to rearrange the room mechanically. Duffy
collected the clothing from the floor and replaced it in the closet.
The boss would talk when he got ready.

From the chair by the cocktail table, Drake said suddenly, "What about
Lardner? Did Mary know where he went?"

Puffy, his job completed, slumped across the bed.

"That guy Lardner is off on another trip." He started to slip his
shoes off, thought better of it, and tied the laces again. "Mary says
he gave the employees all a month's pay and said he'd be back in time
to keep them in cash next month."

Through a cloud of pipe smoke, Drake was placing more pieces into the
jigsaw of Sylvia Fanton's life.

"Any idea where he's going?" he asked.

Puffy shook his head.

"Not the slightest," he admitted. "Mary says her boss is tighter than
a bum's pocketbook when it comes to information."

Drake had enough pipe smoke. He put it away carefully and stood up.

"I see you didn't get the shoes off after all," he said a little
slyly. "Going somewhere?"

Puffy arose, took a suitcase from the closet shelf and started tossing
clothing into it.

"I think so," he said grimly. "If I'm half as good a stooge as I think
I am, we'll be needing overcoats before we get back."

Drake was already waiting at the door when his companion lifted the
heavy bag to his shoulder and prepared to follow.

"Got your long underwear?" he asked soothingly. "We're going to the
airport first, but after that I've got a hunch we'll go diamond
prospecting somewhere east of Hudson Bay."

Puffy shivered.

"Cinderella Drake hunts the silver slipper." His voice was doubtful,
his eyes were twinkling. "If you find it up there, you'll freeze your
foot trying the damned thing on."

* * * * *

The Municipal Airport was deserted, save for a small group of men
waiting just outside the main lobby. They were obviously the members
of a dance band. Instruments were packed and waiting on the baggage
truck outside as Drake and Puffy entered. Drake went straight to the
ticket window. The man behind the ticket cage looked up with a smile
as he approached. His eyes were tired and que