"A terrible thing has befallen us," one of the speakers was saying. "And an awful state of affairs exists when the mayor of our own city can be completely swallowed up--and hidden from all pursuit--in an evening. When we remember that it is a woman--two women--of the highest breeding and inheritance who have been so foully dealt with, we are overwhelmed with a sense of disaster." "But we must find a way--we must organize our forces," interrupted another. "They must, they shall be found." There was much ardent talk, but little practical advice, and when Bailey Armstrong and John Allingham left the hall together, the hearts of both were heavy. "I'd give all I've got in the world to find those two," said Bailey. "But between you and me, it looks pretty dark. There was something queer about it. Why should Gertrude go out at night alone? Why didn't she call on me to go with her? She often did, if no one else was going--from the house, I mean." "Did you hear her say anything about an appointment?--or Miss Snow?" asked Allingham. "Evidently they had one." "Not a word. I was in the office yesterday. We talked things over, some. I asked her--" Bailey stopped. "Say, she was going to telephone Newton Fitzgerald to come up. You don't suppose he's in it?" "Let's go over to his saloon," said Allingham. "Here's a car coming now." But when they got over there, Fitzgerald was declaiming loudly gainst the rotten politics of Roma. "I've known her since she was a kid," he was saying to a gang of beery individuals around his door, "and she's been an angel of light to me an' mine. I voted for her--yes, I'm proud to say I did, against the party though it was. And I shall do it again, if she comes back alive. Why, I found a note on my desk this morning when I came in, that my barkeeper put there, saying she'd telephoned for me to come up to the Hall yesterday afternoon. I'd a' gone, only I was out of town and didn't get back here last night at all. Mebbe I'd 've been of use to her some way if I'd been on time. Anyway, I'm going on a still hunt for her tomorrow, all by my lonesome." "He's sincere enough," remarked Bailey. "Newton's a good-hearted fellow. He always liked Gertrude." They walked back and soon separated for the night, but neither of them slept, for thinking of those two, so suddenly and mysteriously snatched away.