I did. But of them all, only one will be of interest to you."

"Man or woman?"

"Man."

"Where?"

"Lake Shore private hospital."

"An accident?"

"No. Nervous and physical breakdown."

"Phil said he was going back to the Limberlost."

"He went. He was there three weeks, but the strain broke him. He has an
old letter in his hands that he has handled until it is ragged. He held
it up to me and said: 'You can see for yourself that she says she will
be well and happy, but we can't know until we see her again, and that
may never be. She may have gone too near that place her father went
down, some of that Limberlost gang may have found her in the forest, she
may lie dead in some city morgue this instant, waiting for me to find
her body.'"

"Hart! For pity sake stop!"

"I can't," cried Henderson desperately. "I am forced to tell you. They
are fighting brain fever. He did go back to the swamp and he prowled it
night and day. The days down there are hot now, and the nights wet with
dew and cold. He paid no attention and forgot his food. A fever started
and his uncle brought him home. They've never had a word from her, or
found a trace of her. Mrs. Comstock thought she had gone to O'Mores' at
Great Rapids, so when Phil broke down she telegraphed there. They had
been gone all summer, so her mother is as anxious as Phil."

"The O'Mores are here," said Edith. "I haven't seen any of them, because
I haven't gone out much in the few days since we came, but this is their
summer home."

"Edith, they say at the hospital that it will take careful nursing to
save Phil. He is surrounded by stacks of maps and railroad guides. He
is trying to frame up a plan to set the entire detective agency of the
country to work. He says he will stay there just two days longer. The
doctors say he will kill himself when he goes. He is a sick man, Edith.
His hands are burning and shaky and his breath was hot against my face."

"Why are you telling me?" It was a cry of acute anguish.

"He thinks you know where she is."

"I do not! I haven't an idea! I never dreamed she would go away when she
had him in her hand! I should not have done it!"

"He said it was something you said to her that made her go."

"That may be, but it doesn't prove that I know where she went."

Henderson looked across the water and suffered keenly. At last he turned
to Edith and laid a firm, strong hand over hers.

"Edith," he said, "do you realize how serious this