obile to have skimmed quietly away with the mayor in his tonneau,
quite out of reach of the law. As the day passed, rumors of flying
automobiles came in from all directions, making a hopeless confusion of
clues that led nowhere.

At City Hall, the chairman of the board of aldermen took the helm,
becoming acting-mayor for the time being. Although he directed the
search for the mayor and her secretary with much skill and patience, the
Honorable Otis H. Mann was enjoying an inflated sense of independence,
such as does not come often to a small man on large occasions.

As the day closed and no news came from the missing women, the
excitement grew. Crowds gathered on the streets and squares, until
someone, by a happy thought, called for a mass-meeting in Masonic
Temple. If Gertrude could have heard the speeches made there, and noted
the sympathy and pride of her townspeople, she would have felt her
strength renewed as the eagle. For however they might have been divided
in opinion before, every man, woman and child were solidly for her now.
A great wave of indignation had swept the city, and left the public
heart alive with love and sorrow for the brave young woman who had dared
take up this burden. Although they talked hopefully and determinedly of
perfecting their search and restoring her to her office, many a heart
was cherishing a great fear that death, or worse than death, had already
overtaken her.

"A terrible thing has befallen us," one of the speakers was saying. "And
an awful state of affairs exists when the mayor of our own city can be
completely swallowed up--and hidden from all pursuit--in an evening.
When we remember that it is a woman--two women--of the highest breeding
and inheritance who have been so foully dealt with, we are overwhelmed
with a sense of disaster."

"But we must find a way--we must organize our forces," interrupted
another. "They must, they shall be found."

There was much ardent talk, but little practical advice, and when Bailey
Armstrong and John Allingham left the hall together, the hearts of both
were heavy.

"I'd give all I've got in the world to find those two," said Bailey.
"But between you and me, it looks pretty dark. There was something queer
about it. Why should Gertrude go out at night alone? Why didn't she call
on me to go with her? She often did, if no one else was going--from the
house, I mean."

"Did you hear her say anything about an appointment?--or Miss Snow?"
asked