Page:Fletcher - The Mortover Grange Affair.pdf/259

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THE COOK-GENERAL
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information about. I never saw the advertisement until last night, and then only by accident—it caught my eye when I was sorting out a bundle of old newspapers—or I should have written before. For I'm certain that what I have to tell relates to that!"

"I hope so!" exclaimed Nottidge. "You mean—to the missing lady?"

"That's what I do mean," assented Miss Robinson. "To her, and no other! It was this way: About a week or so ago, neither Mr. Levigne nor Miss Monniment were in to dinner one night—he'd been out all day, and she went out about six o'clock—on that occasion, to be sure, she told me there'd be nobody in to dinner, for she and Mr. Levigne were both dining out. Well, about—I'm not quite sure as to the time, but it would be between nine and ten o'clock, Mr. Levigne and Miss Monniment came home, and they brought with them a young lady———"

"What like?" demanded Nottidge impatiently. "Describe her!"

"Just what you described her like in that advertisement," replied Miss Robinson, calmly. "You hit 'em both off in that! Of course, I recognized the description of Miss Monniment and her long fur coat at once, and the young lady, too!"