“I saw Mr. Ellison come down the stairs. His valet met him at the bottom of the steps and whispered something to him. Then Mr. Ellison told him to take a man into a room where he could see him alone, while he himself came into this room to excuse himself to the bride.” “Yes,” said Mr. Sanborn, “that’s what he did, saying that he would not delay the bride but a minute.” “Then,” said Patsy, “I saw the valet come to the door of this room for him and take him to meet the stranger.” “A stranger?” said Nick, sharply. “Anyhow,” said Patsy, “he didn’t look like a guest, for he wasn’t rigged for it, and he had on a long cape coat. But, anyhow, it wasn’t a minute after they went in before the man in the big cape coat came out and was taken downstairs by the valet.” “Did you see Mr. Ellison come out of that room?” asked Nick. “No,” replied Patsy, “I did not.” Chick, who had been standing within hearing, now said: “I saw such a man go out of the door below.” “Mr. Ellison said,” put in Mr. Sanborn, “when he came into this room to ask my daughter to wait a moment, that he was called to a matter of immense personal importance.” Mrs. Sanborn at this moment called her husband to her, and Patsy, taking the arm of Nick, asked: “What is it all about?” “Mr. Ellison, the bridegroom, has singularly disappeared,” said Nick, “or is missing.” “Do they think he has skipped?” asked Patsy. “They do not say so,” replied Nick. “But it looks that way to me.” “But,” put in Chick, “nobody saw him leave the house, and it is believed he is stowed away somewhere in it.” “Well, look here,” said Patsy. “I’ve got a pointer. Look for the feller the valet brought in. And look for the valet himself.” “What are you getting at?” asked Nick. “Well, I’ve only just tumbled now,” said Patsy, “but when that big cape coat went out of the house, it didn’t have the same man inside of it that it had when it came in.” “You mean?” asked Nick. “I mean that Mr. Ellison went out of the house in that big cape coat. I recollect now thinking how much bigger the man appeared going out than when he came in.” “Good boy, Patsy,” said Nick. “You’ve answered one question right away.” Turning to Chick, he said: “Now, Chick, go through the house and make a thorough search for the valet.” He stopped a moment, and then said to Patsy: “Patsy, go into that room where you saw the man taken and see what you see there. Anyhow, look for the man that stayed behind.” The two assistants dashed out of the room and began their respective duties. It soon became apparent to Chick that the valet of Mr. Ellison had disappeared with his master. As for Patsy, on entering the room, the first thing that attracted his attention was an open window. Going to the window and looking out, he saw that it would not have been very much of a drop for a man to let himself out of it. Leaning out he saw that there was a gate in the fence that led to the cross street, for Mr. Sanborn’s house was on the corner.