rs," replied the Earl.
"We've always found her quite trustworthy. So much so that I've more
than once sent her to my bankers with those very jewels."

"You took her with you to the Continent, of course, my lord?" asked
Polke.

"No, we didn't," replied the Earl. "The fact is--we wanted to have, for
once in our lives, a thoroughly unconventional holiday. You know that
the Countess and I are both very fond of walking--well, we had always
had a great desire to have a walking tour, alone, in the Ardennes
district, in early spring. We decided some time ago to have it this
year. So when we set off, six weeks ago, we took no servants--and
precious little luggage--and we enjoyed it all the more. Therefore, of
course, my wife's maid was not with us. She remained at
Ellersdeane--with the rest of the servants."

Polke seemed to ponder over this last statement. Then he rose from his
chair.

"Um!" he said. "Well--I'm doing what I can. There's something your
lordship might do."

"Yes?" asked the Earl. "What, now! It shall be done."

"Let some of your men take a look round your neighbourhood," answered
the superintendent. "Gamekeepers, now--they're the fellows! Just now
we're having some grand moonlight nights. If your men would look about
the country between here and Ellersdeane, now? And tell the farmers, and
the cottagers, and so forth, and take a particular look round
Ellersdeane Hollow. It would be a help."

"Excellent idea, Polke," said the Earl. "I'll ride home and set things
going at once. And you'll let me know if anything turns up here during
the evening or the night."

He strode off to the door and Neale followed. But on the threshold Neale
was pulled up by the superintendent.

"Mr. Neale!" said Polke.

Neale turned to see his questioner looking at him with a rather
quizzical expression.

"What precise message had you for me?" asked Polke.

"Just what I said," replied Neale. "I was merely to tell you that Mr.
Horbury disappeared from his house on Saturday evening, and has not been
seen since."

"No further message--from your principals?" suggested Polke.

"Nothing," said Neale.

Polke nodded, and with a bow to the Earl sat down again to his desk. He
took up a pen when the door had closed on his visitors, and for a while
busied himself in writing. He was thus occupied when the telephone bell
rang in the farthest corner of his room. He crossed over and laid hold
of the receiver.

"Yes?" he said quietly.