geter," he observed quietly. "I can't help
being sorry for him. The police have been worrying him, and--and at
their suggestion we have been seeking among her things--among her
correspondence--for some clue. But of course we found nothing. Pargeter
is longing to go away--to England. How I wish he would go,--God! how I
wish he would go! After all, as he says himself, he can do no good by
staying here. He would receive any news within an hour."

Madame de Lera leant forward. "Ah! but if Mr. Pargeter leaves Paris
before--before something is discovered, his conduct would be regarded as
very cruel--very heartless."

"Did you know," said Vanderlyn, in a low voice, "that Peggy once before
disappeared for three days? Pargeter keeps harking back to that. He
thinks that she found out something which made her leave him again."

"Yes," said Madame de Lera, "I knew of that episode in their early
married life--but on that occasion, Mr. Vanderlyn, our poor friend
cannot be said to have disappeared--she only returned to her own
family."

"Why, having once escaped, did she ever go back to him?" asked
Vanderlyn, sombrely.

"You forget," said Madame de Lera, gently, "that even then there was her
son."

Her son? Nay, Vanderlyn at no moment ever forgot Peggy's child. To
himself, he seemed to be the only human being who ever thought of the
poor little boy lying ill in far-away England.

"Well, you need not be afraid," he said quickly, "that Pargeter will go
away to-day. He intends to stay in Paris at least till to-morrow night,
for he is convinced, it seems, that the fortune-teller, Madame
d'Elphis,--the woman who by some incredible stroke of luck stumbled on
the right name of that horse of his which won the Oaks,--will be able to
tell him what has happened to--to Margaret Pargeter."

And, meeting Madame de Lera's troubled gaze, he added in a low bitter
tone, "How entirely that gives one the measure of the man,--the absurd
notion, I mean, that a fortune-teller can solve the mystery! Fortunately
or unfortunately, this Madame d'Elphis has been away for two or three
days, but she will be back, it seems, in time to give Pargeter, who is a
favoured client, an appointment to-morrow morning."

Adele de Lera suddenly rose from her chair; with a nervous movement she
clasped her hands together.

"Ah, but that must not happen!" she exclaimed. "We must think of a way
by which we can prevent an interview between Mr. Pargeter and La
d'Elphis!