another's soul.

"That is why I have come back to Paris," she went on, addressing Peggy's
husband, "for I feel that not a moment should be lost in making
enquiries. There are certain places where they take those who meet with
accidents in our streets--accidents, alas! more and more frequent every
day. Let us start at once and make enquiries."

Tom Pargeter heard her out with obvious impatience. But still his
varnish of good breeding so far lasted that he muttered a word or two of
gratitude for the trouble she had taken. Then he turned to Laurence
Vanderlyn.

"Surely _you_ don't think anything has happened to her, Grid?" he asked,
nervously. "Now I come to think of it, she was a fool not to take one of
the cars. Then we should have had none of this worry. I've always said
the Paris cabs weren't safe. What d'ye think we had better do? We can't
start out and make a round of all the hospitals--the idea's absurd!"
Waiting a moment, he added dismally, "It's clear I can't take that
twelve-twenty train."

He walked over to one of the windows, and drummed with his fingers on
the pane.

Although Madame de Lera did not understand a word he said, Pargeter's
attitude was eloquent of how he had taken the astounding news, and she
looked at him with angry perplexity and pain. She said something in a
low voice to Vanderlyn; as a result he walked up to Pargeter and touched
him on the shoulder.

"Tom," he said, "I'm afraid something ought to be done, and done
quickly. Madame de Lera suggests that we go to the Prefecture of Police;
every serious accident is, of course, always reported there at once."

The other turned--"All right," he said, sullenly, "just as you like! But
I bet you anything that after we have taken all that trouble, we shall
come back to find Peggy, or news of her, here. You don't know her as
well as I do! I don't believe she's had an accident; I daresay you'll
laugh at me, Grid, but all I can say is that I don't _feel_ she's had an
accident. Take my word for it, old man, there's nothing to be frightened
about. Why, you look quite pale!"

There came the distant sound of a telephone bell. "There!" he cried, "I
expect that _is_ Peggy, or news of her. What a bore it is having three
telephones in a house!" He left the room, and a moment later they heard
him shouting to his butler.

Vanderlyn turned to Madame de Lera. "He doesn't believe that Mrs.
Pargeter has had an accident," he said, quietly, "you must not judge