“I can’t think of anything out of the ordinary,” replied the cook. “I went around, with Mary, to see that all the doors and windows were fastened. Then we went to bed.” “That’s so,” confirmed Mary. “We both went to bed.” “And slept soundly all night?” “Yes,” replied Mary. “Except----” she stopped. “Yes?” prompted Nick. “Except what?” “Well, we generally get up at seven o’clock. But something woke me at six this morning, and I looked out of our window, which is in the front of the house, on the top floor.” “What did you see?” “Nothing much, except Miss Clarice walking away from the front door, and going fast down the avenue, to where the street cars pass. It wasn’t anything remarkable, except that she doesn’t often go out so early as that.” “I never knowed her to do it before,” put in the cook. “Especially after being out so late the night before,” added Mary. “You’d think she’d be tired,” remarked Maggie. “Too tired to get up before six in the morning,” supplemented Mary. “Where did she go when she went down the avenue?” asked Nick. “Did you see whether she got on a car?” “I didn’t see, sir,” was Mary’s reply. “But it would have been easy to do, if she wanted to.” “Look here, Carter!” interrupted Bentham impatiently. “This is sheer waste of time. What if my daughter did take an early-morning walk? There is nothing remarkable in that. She is a healthy young girl, with a love of nature. When can you enjoy nature better than in the beginning of a fine day? But it has nothing to do with this loss of my papers. How could it have any bearing on such a matter?” “Still, I should like to know,” insisted Nick. “This is all I want to ask of these two young women, but I should like a few more words with Miss Bentham. Perhaps Mary will tell her so when she goes out?” Mary looked inquiringly at her employer. He nodded savagely, and Mary and Maggie left the room. When Clarice came in, a few moments later, she appeared to be slightly surprised, but she took the chair her father pointed to without remark. “Mr. Carter desires to ask you one or two more questions, my dear,” blurted out her father angrily. “I don’t see the necessity, but perhaps I shall understand later.” His accent and manner said, plainly enough, that he did not expect to be convinced, but he meant to give Nick Carter all the opportunity he sought. “I shall be only too pleased to tell you anything I can, Mr. Carter,” she said. “But I feel as if I have given you all the information I have--which is simply nothing at all.” “We can’t always tell at the beginning,” returned Nick. “I will not take up much time, but there are one or two things I wanted to discuss with you, if you don’t mind. You went for a walk this morning earlier than is your custom, I believe?” “Yes. But why do you ask?”