of this unofficial examination.

"She has confided nothing more to you since your return from the river
bank?" suggested the lawyer.

"No."

The word came sharply, considering Mr. Ransom's usual manner. The lawyer
showed surprise but no resentment, and turned his attention to the bag
both had noted lying open on two chairs.

"Nothing equivocal here," he declared, after a moment's careful scrutiny
of its remaining contents. "The only comment I should make in regard to
what I find here is that all the articles are less carefully chosen than
you would expect from one of your wife's fondness for fine appointments."

"They were collected in a hurry and possibly by telephone," returned the
unhappy husband, after a shrinking glance into the bag. "The ones she
provided in anticipation of her wedding are at the hotel in New York. In
the trunks and bags there you will find articles as elegant as you could
wish." Here he turned to the dresser, and pointed to the various objects
grouped upon it.

"These show that she arranged herself with care for her meeting with you
last night. How did she appear at that interview? Natural?"

"Hardly; she was much too excited. But I had no suspicion of what she
was cherishing in her mind. I thought her intentions whimsical, and
endeavored to edge in a little advice, but she was in no mood to receive
it. Her mind was too full of what she intended to do.

"Here's where she ate her supper," he added, picking up a morsel of crust
from a table set against the wall. "And so this door was found fastened
on this side?" he proceeded, laying his hand on the broken lock.

"It had to be burst open, you see."

"And the window?"

"Was up. The carpet, as you can tell by look and feeling, is still wet
with the soaking it got."

Mr. Harper's air changed to one of reluctant conviction.

"The evidence seems conclusive of your wife having left this room and the
house in the remarkable manner stated by Miss Hazen. Yet--"

This _yet_ showed that he was not as thoroughly convinced as the first
phrase would show. But he added nothing to it; only stood listening,
apparently to the even breathing of the sleeper on the other side of this
loosely hanging door.

As he did so, his eye encountered the hot, dry gaze of Mr. Ransom, fixed
upon him in a suspense too cruel to prolong, and with a sudden change of
manner he moved from the door, saying significantly as he led the way
out:

"Let us have a word or t