ur
wasted now in tracing Rita may mean, must mean, an hour of agony for
her?"

"Oh, don't! please don't!" cried Mollie, clasping her hands. "I cannot
bear to think of it."

"God knows in whose hands she is. Then there is poor Mr. Irvin. He is
utterly prostrated. One shudders to contemplate his torture as the hours
and the days go by and no news comes of Rita."

"Oh, my dear! you are making me cry!" exclaimed Mollie. "If only I could
do something to help...."

Margaret was studying her closely, and now for the first time she
detected sincere emotion in Mollie's voice--and unforced tears in her
eyes. Hope was reborn.

"Perhaps you can," she continued, speaking gently. "You knew all Rita's
friends and all Sir Lucien's. You must have met the woman called Mrs.
Sin?"

"Mrs. Sin," whispered Mollie, staring in a frightened way so that the
pupils of her eyes slowly enlarged. "What about Mrs. Sin?"

"Well, you see, they seem to think that through Mrs. Sin they will be
able to trace Kazmah; and wherever Kazmah is one would expect to find
poor Rita."

Mollie lowered her head for a moment, then glanced quickly at the
speaker, and quickly away again.

"Please let me explain just what I mean," continued Margaret. "It seems
to be impossible to find anybody in London who will admit having known
Mrs. Sin or Kazmah. They are all afraid of being involved in the case,
of course. Now, if you can help, don't hesitate for that reason. A
special commission has been appointed by Lord Wrexborough to deal with
the case, and their agent is working quite independently of the
police. Anything which you care to tell him will be treated as strictly
confidential; but think what it may mean to Rita."

Mollie clasped her hands about her right knee and rocked to and fro in
her chair.

"No one knows who Kazmah is," she said.

"But a number of people seem to know Mrs. Sin. I am sure you must have
met her?"

"If I say that I know her, shall I be called as a witness?"

"Certainly not. I can assure you of that."

Mollie continued to rock to and fro.

"But if I were to tell the police I should have to go to court, I
suppose?"

"I suppose so," replied Margaret. "I am afraid I am dreadfully ignorant
of such matters. It might depend upon whether you spoke to a high
official or to a subordinate one; an ordinary policeman for instance.
But the Home office agent has nothing whatever to do with Scotland
Yard."

Mollie stood up in order to rea