quiringly and a little nervously inside. Joseph frowned at her.
"I rang twice!" he said. "That meant Mrs. Carswell. Send her here."
The girl hesitated.
"If you please, sir," she said at last, "Mrs. Carswell isn't in, sir, she's out."
Joseph turned sharply—up to this he had remained staring at the papers on his desk; now he twisted completely round in his chair.
"Where is she?" he demanded. "Fetch her!"
"If you please, sir, Mrs. Carswell hasn't been in for quite an hour, sir," said the girl. "She put on her things and went out, sir, just—just after that young lady called this morning. She—she's never come back, sir."
Polke, who was standing close to Starmidge, quietly nudged the detective's elbow. Both men watched the junior partner. And both saw the first signs of something that was very like doubt and anxiety show in his face.
"That'll do!" he said to the servant. He rose slowly from his desk, put a hand in his pocket, and drew out some keys. Without a word, he slightly motioned the visitors to follow him.
Out in the hall stood two men, who in spite of their plain clothes, were obviously policemen. Joseph started and turned to Polke.
"Damn you!" he snarled under his breath. "Are you going to pester us with your whole crew? Send those fellows off at once!"
"Nothing of the sort, Mr. Chestermarke!" replied
