e the house.
"It's awfully decent of you, Herrick. You have heard of my
wife's--disappearance?"

"Yes. I suppose you have no idea what can have taken her away?"

"Not the slightest. The maids say--now--that her thick motor coat and
cap are gone, and her purse--with a few pounds in, I don't know how
much--is missing from her drawer. But where she has gone is a complete
mystery."

"She gave you no hint of her departure?"

"Not the faintest." Owen became suddenly aware that his visitor's coat
was damp with the wetting mist; and his hospitable instincts awoke. "I
say, come into the library and have a drink. You're pretty well soaked."

He led the way to the library, regardless of Herrick's disclaimers; and
the other man thought it best to follow him, first asking permission to
bring Olga inside the house--a permission readily granted. Once inside
the warm, tranquil room, Owen insisted upon Herrick shedding his coat
and accepting a whisky and soda; but though he pressed Herrick to sit
down and even took a cigarette himself, it was evident that Owen was all
on thorns with anxiety and apprehension.

"You haven't heard your wife say she wanted a change? You know women are
restless beings."

"Not Toni. She was always happy here. I'd promised to take her to
Switzerland for Christmas, and that pleased her; but she was never keen
about going away."

"I see. She was happy here. Well"--his gaze wandered dreamily round the
lamp-lit room, with its mullioned windows and well-filled shelves--"I
don't wonder at that. Anyone might be happy in such a home as this."

"Yes, she always loved Greenriver." Unconsciously both men used the past
tense. "Ever since I brought her here as my wife she loved the old
house."

"She was happy, you say?" Herrick felt a sudden desire to probe beneath
the surface. "You never--forgive me--you never found her
depressed--or--or unsettled--in low spirits?"

"No. She was sometimes a little--well, what shall we call it?--not
bad-tempered, but well, a trifle jumpy; but she seemed to be in good
spirits as a rule."

"You never--I suppose"--he laughed, trying to make the question sound
casual--"you never had any disagreements--any little fallings-out? Oh,
don't think me impertinent--I was only wondering whether perhaps Mrs.
Rose had taken offence at some little thing--and had gone off for a
short visit somewhere to--well, to punish you."

He had half expected Owen to resent the implication; but Owen to