ites
from Nice, where they seem to have remained during February and March.
About the middle of April, they started north--here's a letter dated
Paris, April 19th--and from Paris they went to a place called
Etretat. They remained there through May, June, and July. That is all
the time covered by this file. Shall I get another?"

"No," I answered; "but I wish you'd make an abstract of Mr. Holladay's
whereabouts during the whole time he was abroad, and send it to our
office not later than this afternoon."

"Very well, sir," he said, and we left the room.

"But why didn't you let him go farther?" asked Mr. Graham, as we left
the building.

"Because I think I've found the place, sir," I answered. "Did you
notice--the time they stayed at Etretat covers the period of Miss
Holladay's birth, with which, I'm convinced, these people were in some
way concerned. We must look up Etretat."

A map at the office showed us that it was a little fishing hamlet and
seaside resort on the shore of the English Channel, not far north of
Havre.

"My theory is," I said, "that when the time of her confinement
approached, Mr. Holladay brought his wife to Paris to secure the
services of an experienced physician, perhaps; or perhaps a nurse, or
linen, or all of them. That done, they proceeded to Etretat, which
they may have visited before, and knew for a quiet place, with a
bracing atmosphere and good climate--just such a place as they would
naturally desire. Here, the daughter was born, and here, I am
convinced, we shall find the key to the mystery, though I'm very far
from guessing what that key is. But I have a premonition--you may
smile if you wish--that I'll find the clew I'm seeking at Etretat. The
name has somehow struck an answering chord in me."

The words, as I recall them now, seem more than a little foolish and
self-assured; yet, in light of the result--well, at any rate, my chief
showed no disposition to smile, but sat for some moments in deep
thought.

"I don't doubt that you're right, Mr. Lester," he said at last. "At
any rate, I'm ready to trust your experience--since I have absolutely
none in this kind of work. I don't need to say that I have every
confidence in you. I'll have a letter of credit prepared at once, so
that you may not want for money--shall we say five thousand to start
with?"

I stammered that I was certain that would be more than enough, but he
silenced me with a gesture.

"You'll find foreign travel m