“Youmayhavesurmised，Duson，thatshehasleftme。Idesiretoensureyourabsolutefidelity，soItakeyouintomyconfidencetothisextent。Yourmistressisinthehandsofthosewhohavesomepoweroverher。Herabsenceisinvoluntarysofarassheisconcerned。Ithasbeenagreatblowtome。Iampreparedtorunallriskstodiscoverherwhereabouts。Itislateinmylifeforadventures，butitisverycertainthatadventuresanddangersarebeforeus。Inaccompanyingmeyouwillassociateyourselfwithmanyrisks。Therefore-“
Dusonhelduphishand。
“Ibeg，sir，“heexclaimed，“thatyouwillnotsuggestforamomentmyleavingyourserviceonthataccount。Ibegmosthumbly，sir，thatyouwillnotdomethatinjustice。“
Mr。Sabinpaused。Hiseyes，likelightning，readtheother’sface。
“Itissettledthen，Duson，“hesaid。“Kindlypaythiscabman，andfollowmeasquicklyaspossible。“
Mr。Sabinpassedacrossthemarblehall，leaningheavilyuponhisstick。Yetforallhisslowmovementstherewasanewalertnessinhiseyesandbearing。Hewasoncemoretakingkeennoteofeverybodyandeverythingabouthim。Onlyafewdaysagoshehadbeenhere。
Heclaimedhisroomsattheoffice，andhandedthekeystoDuson，whobythistimehadrejoinedhim。Atthemomentofturningawayheaddressedaninquirytotheclerkbehindthecounter。
“CanyoutellmeiftheDuchessofSouspennierisstayinghere？“
heinquired。
Theyoungmanglancedup。
“Beenhere，Iguess。LeftonTuesday。“
Mr。Sabinturnedaway。HedidnotspeakagainuntilDusonandhewerealoneinthesitting-room。Thenhedrewoutafivedollarbill。
“Duson，“hesaid，“takethistotheheadluggageporter。Tellhimtobringhisdeparturebookuphereatonce，andthereisanotherwaitingforhim。Youunderstand？“
“Certainly，sir！“
Mr。Sabinturnedtoenterhisbed-chamber。Hisattentionwasattracted，however，byaletterlyingflatuponthetable。Hetookitup。ItwasaddressedtoMr。Sabin。
“Thisisveryclever，“hemused，hesitatingforamomentbeforeopeningit。“Iwiredforroomsonlyafewhoursago-andIfindaletter。Itisthecommencement。“
Hetoreopentheenvelope，anddrewoutasinglehalf-sheetofnote-paper。Acrossitwasscrawledasinglesentenceonly。
“GobacktoLenox。“
Therewasnosignature，noranydate。Theonlynoticeablethingaboutthisbriefcommunicationwasthatitwaswritteninyellowpencilofapeculiarshade。Mr。Sabin’seyesglitteredasheread。
“Theyellowcrayon！“hemuttered。
Dusonknockedsoftlyatthedoor。Mr。Sabinthrusttheletterandenvelopeintohisbreastcoatpocket。
Thisistheluggageporter，sir，“Dusonannounced。“Heispreparedtoansweranyquestions。“
Themantookouthisbook。Mr。Sabin，whowassittinginaneasy-chair，turnedsidewaystowardshim。
“TheDuchessofSouspennierwasstayingherelastweek，“hesaid。
“Sheleft，Ibelieve，onThursdayorFriday。Canyoutellmewhetherherbaggagewentthroughyourhands？“
Themansetdownhishatuponavacantchair，andturnedovertheleavesofhisbook。
“GuessIcanfixthatforyou，“heremarked，runninghisforefingerdownoneofthepages。“Hereweare。TheDuchessleftonFriday，andwecheckedherbaggagethroughtoLenoxbytheNewYork，NewHaven&Hartford。“
Mr。Sabinnodded。
“Thankyou，“hesaid。“Shewouldprobablytakeacarriagetothestation。Itwillbeworthanothertendollarstoyouifyoucanfindmethemanwhodroveher。“
“Well，weoughttomanagethatforyou，“themanremarkedencouragingly。“ItwasoneofSteveHassell’scarriages，Iguess，unlesstheladytookahansom。“
“Verygood，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Seeifyoucanfindhim。Keepmyinquiriesentirelytoyourself。Itwillpayyou。“
“That’sallright，“themanremarked。“Don’tyougotobedforhalf-an-hour，andIguessyou’llhearfrommeagain。“
Dusonbusiedhimselfinthebed-chamber，Mr。Sabinsatmotionlessinhiseasychair。Soontherecameatapatthedoor。Theporterreappearedusheringinasmart-lookingyoungman，whocarriedashinycoachman’shatinhishand。
“Struckitrightfusttime，“theporterremarkedcheerfully。“Thisistheman，sir。
Mr。Sabinturnedhishead。
“YoudrovealadyfromheretotheNewYork，NewHaven&HartfordDepotlastFriday？“heasked。
“’Well，notexactly，sir，“themananswered。“TheDuchesstookmycab，andthefirstaddressshegavewastheNewYork，NewHaven&HartfordDepot，butbeforewe’ddrivenahundredyardsshepulledthecheck-stringandorderedmetogototheWaldorf。Shepaidmethere，andwentintothehotel。“
“Youhavenotseenhersince？“
“No，sir！“
“Youknewherbysight，yousay。Wasthereanythingspecialaboutherappearance？“
Themanhesitated。
“She’daprettythickveilon，sir，butsheraisedittopayme，andIshouldsayshe’dbeencrying。Shewasmuchpaler，too，thanlasttimeIdroveher。“
“Whenwasthat？“Mr。Sabinasked。
“Inthespring，sir，-withyou，beggingyourpardon。YouwereattheNetherlands，andIdroveyououtseveraltimes。“
“Youseem，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“tobeapersonwithsomepowersofobservation。ItwouldpayyouverywellindeedifyouwouldascertainfromanyofyourmatesattheWaldorfwhenandwithwhomtheladyinquestionleftthathotel。“
“I’llhaveatry，sir，“themananswered。“TheDuchesswasbetterknownhere，butsomeofthemmayhaverecognisedher。“
“Shehadnoluggage，Ipresume？“Mr。Sabinasked。
“Herdressing-caseandjewel-caseonly，sir。“
“Soyousee，“Mr。Sabincontinued，“itisprobablethatshedidnotremainattheWaldorfforthenight。Baseyourinquiriesonthatsupposition。“
“Verygood，sir。“
“Fromyourmannersandspeech，“Mr。Sabinsaid，raisinghishead，“IshouldtakeyoutobeanEnglishman。“
“Quitecorrect，sir，“themananswered。“IdroveahansominLondonforeightyears。“
“Youwillunderstandmethen，“Mr。Sabincontinued，“whenIsaythatIhavenogreatconfidenceinthepoliceofthiscountry。I
donotwishtobeblackmailedorbullied。Iwouldaskyou，therefore，tomakeyourinquirieswithdiscretion。“
“I’llbecareful，sir，“themananswered。
Mr。Sabinhandedtoeachofthemarollofnotes。Thecabdriverlingereduponthethreshold。Mr。Sabinlookedup。
“Well？“
“CouldIspeakawordtoyou-inprivate，sir？“
Mr。SabinmotionedDusontoleavetheroom。Thebaggageporterhadalreadydeparted。
“WhenIcleanedoutmycabatnight，sir，Ifoundthis。Ididn’treckonitwasofanyconsequenceatfirst，butfromthequestionsyouhavebeenaskingitmaybeusefultoyou。“
Mr。Sabintookthehalf-sheetofnote-paperinsilence。ItwastheordinarystationeryoftheWaldorfAstoriaHotel，andthefollowingwordswerewrittenuponitinafaintdelicatehandwriting，butinyellowpencil:-
