“I did. I returned to get my handkerchief, which I had left in the room. I found the room deserted. Clara had gone, but her suit case and hand bag still are there. I came out, of course, and I at once saw Mr. Vandyke coming up the side stairs. I told him about it, Mr. Carter, and he said that Clara probably was with Mr. Clayton in his room. He knocked, but received no answer. He then went in and found that Mr. Clayton also was missing.” “Did you make any inquiries among the guests here in the hall?” “Yes, immediately. We could find no one who had seen either of them go out. Strange though it seems, both of them have mysteriously disappeared, leaving their luggage in their rooms.” “You say that Miss Langham, or, rather, Mrs. Clayton, was clad in her outside garments?” “Yes, sir. She had on her hat, veil, and jacket, and was ready to leave at any moment.” “What is her traveling costume?” “A navy-blue suit with hat and veil to match.” “Who, now, is in her room?” “No one, Mr. Carter. She----” “Wait!” Nick interrupted. “I will look in there.” He stepped into the room while speaking. It was in considerable disorder after the change of attire from a wedding gown to a traveling costume. There was no sign of the missing girl, no written line explaining her sudden departure, no evidence of when, why, or how she had gone. Both windows were open, but in each there was a wire screen secured on the inside. Nick saw plainly that neither of them had been tampered with. “By Jove, this looks bad enough. It looks, indeed, as if Dave Margate has again got in his work,” he said to himself while retracing his steps. “Has the rascal designs upon this girl, disregarding the valuable gifts now in the house? Those were safely guarded from every side, but who would have thought it necessary to guard her in such a throng as this?” “What do you think about it, Mr. Carter?” questioned Miss Arden, awed by the more serious expression on the detective’s face when he came from the room. “I cannot say at present,” Nick replied. “Don’t be alarmed, nor spread the news too quickly. There still is a possibility that they will return.” He did not wait for an answer, but hastened into an opposite room, that occupied by Chester Clayton. There Nick found, at first, the same negative conditions. A single window overlooked the rear grounds. It was closed and locked. Clayton’s suit case stood near the door. His overcoat and hat were missing, however, though a pair of new kid gloves lay on the dressing stand. Nick had only time to note these features of the scene when Vandyke hurriedly entered, looking even more pale and disturbed. “Why did you apprehend so quickly that something was wrong?” Nick asked a bit abruptly, turning to him. “Only because Clayton appeared to fear some mishap,” Vandyke replied. “He admitted he had no definite reason for it, but he seemed very nervous.” “Where were you when he left? You were his best man.”