“And found no one who had seen Markham after you sent him on that errand with the money and the mailing lists?” “Not a soul, Darry.” “How do you explain it?” “I can’t. I suppose some people who don’t know Markham as I do, would say I was a fool to take up a stranger and put so much trust in him, that it served me right to have him run away with all I have in the world first chance he got. Well, let me tell you, Darry, that boy wouldn’t do me a wrong turn wilfully for a million dollars, and I know it.” Darry sighed and was silent. He had liked Markham, but his young business career had brought him in contact with so many weak and absolutely bad people, that secretly he feared that Markham had yielded to temptation, and they would not hear of him again. “Have you no theory as to the reason why Markham should be missing so mysteriously?” he asked. “Why, yes, I have, in a way, Darry,” responded Frank, “but it is all guess-work. I told you last night about some secret in his life.” “Yes, I know,” nodded Darry. “I also told you that I was convinced that Dale Wacker knew Markham, and that Markham for some reason dreaded meeting him.” “It certainly looked that way, judging from Markham’s actions.” “Very well, I think they ran into each other after Markham went on the errand to you. Wacker is a blackmailer, as his talk to me about the puzzle plainly shows. Does he know something about Markham that might make him trouble? It certainly looks that way. He may have terrorized Markham into running away.” “All right, if that is true, then Markham, if he is an honest boy, will send back your money and the mailing lists.” “Of course he will,” declared Frank. “I’ve been expecting to receive them every hour.” “And if he doesn’t,” suggested Darry, somewhat skeptically. “If he doesn’t,” repeated Frank, slowly but steadily, “then make up your mind to one thing.” “And what is that?” “That Markham is in the power of some one who holds him a prisoner, and can’t get word to me.” “H’m,” said Darry simply. Frank’s eyes flashed. “Furthermore,” he went on, “assuming that, I shall make it my business to investigate along that line, I shall never lose faith in Markham’s honesty and fidelity to me till I have used every endeavor to find out when, where and why he dropped out of sight so mysteriously.” “You’re a staunch friend, you are,” commented Darry. “In the meantime, though, Frank, your capital is gone. Worse than that, the whole basis of your business has gone with it.” “Yes, the mailing lists,” said Frank. “I’ve thought that all out, Darry. You will have to stop work on the catalogue and the rest of the printing. I can’t pay for the work.” “We’ll trust you.” “No,” said Frank steadily, “I can’t run into debt.” “We might spare a little cash till--till you hear from the other.” “I won’t involve my friends. I have planned it all out. My mother is coming down to the office to take care of the little business that will come in from the advertising.”