"Engaged? Fiddlesticks!" Miss Kiametia's head went up in a style indicative of battle. "Imagine Kathleen caring for a man who openly boasted he had held the best blood of America in his arms--she isn't that kind of girl!" "Come, Spencer wasn't so unattractive," protested Foster. "I hold no brief for him; in fact, some of his business transactions were shady; but upon my word, he was exceedingly good-looking, and if I remember rightly, you encouraged him to come to your apartment." "I've done some remarkably stupid things occasionally," said Miss Kiametia composedly. "That was one of them." "Kiametia!" called a voice in the hallway, and the next moment the portieres parted and Mrs. Whitney walked into the library. "Oh, there you are, my dear; I feared you had gone. I am so glad to see you, Senator," clasping Foster's extended hand warmly. "Winslow and I both hoped you could come to us. We want your advice." "I am entirely at your disposal." As he spoke, Foster dragged forward a comfortable chair. "Sit here, Mrs. Whitney; you look quite done up," and his sympathetic tone and manner brought tears to her hot, tired eyes. "It is such a comfort to see two such dear friends," she said, looking gratefully at them. "And to talk to you openly, away from those dreadful detectives. I haven't had an opportunity to speak privately to Winslow. Detective Mitchell is his shadow." "A little brief authority," Foster shrugged his shoulders. "How is Kathleen?" "Sleeping, thank God!" Mrs. Whitney lowered her voice. "I really feared for her reason before the doctor came. I could not soothe her, or quiet her wild weeping." She stopped to glance hastily over her shoulder. "Vincent said something about Captain Miller having called--is the Captain here?" "He has gone upstairs with your husband and Detective Mitchell," answered Foster. "Tell me, Mrs. Whitney, was Sinclair Spencer visiting you for any length of time?" "Oh, no; his stopping here last night was quite unexpected; in fact so unexpected to me that I accidentally put Kiametia in the same room with him." "I didn't stay there," hastily ejaculated the spinster, crimsoning. "The moment I saw him in bed, I fled." "Was he asleep?" questioned Foster; Miss Kiametia had not told him these details in her description of events at the Whitney residence. "I presume so; his eyes were closed--thank goodness!" she added under her breath, and quickly changed the subject "Any news of Julie's whereabouts, Minna?" "Apparently not; I telephoned to Police Headquarters half an hour ago, and the desk sergeant said they had found no trace of her." "Where is your maid's bedroom, Mrs. Whitney?" asked Foster. "She rooms with the cook on the third floor." "What does the cook say about Julie's disappearance?"