"There's only one thing to do, my lord," he answered. "We want the solution of a problem: what became of Mr. Horbury last Saturday night?" CHAPTER V THE SEARCH BEGINS Polke, superintendent of the Scarnham police force, a little, round, cheery-faced man, whose mutton-chop whiskers suggested much business-like capacity and an equal amount of common sense, rose from his desk and bowed as the Earl of Ellersdeane entered his office. "I know what your lordship's come for!" he said, with a twinkle of the eye which betokened infinite comprehension. "The young lady's been here." "And has no doubt told you everything?" remarked the Earl, as he dropped into the chair which the superintendent drew forward. "Has she?" "Pretty well, my lord," replied Polke, with a chuckle. "She's not one to let much grass grow under her feet, I think." "Given you the facts, I suppose?" asked the Earl. Polke motioned to Neale to seat himself, and resumed his own seat. He put his fingers together over his desk and looked from one to the other of his visitors. "I'll give the young lady this much credit," he said. "She can tell one what she wants in about as few words as could possibly be used! Yes, my lord--she told me the facts in a couple of sentences. Her uncle disappeared--nobody knows where he is--suspected already of running away with your lordship's jewels and Chestermarke's securities. A very nice business indeed!" "What do you think of it?" asked the Earl. "As a policeman, nothing--so far," answered Polke, with another twinkle. "As a man, that I don't believe it!" "Nor do I!" said the Earl. "That is, I don't believe that Horbury's appropriated anything. There's some mistake--and some mystery." "We can't get away from the fact that Mr. Horbury has disappeared," remarked Neale, looking at the superintendent. "That's all I'm sent here to tell you, Mr. Polke." "That's an accepted fact," agreed Polke. "But he's not the first man who's disappeared under mysterious circumstances. Some men, as your lordship knows, disappear--and reappear with good reasons for their absence. Some never reappear. Some men aren't wanted to reappear. When a man disappears and he's wanted--why, the job is to find him." "What does Miss Fosdyke wish?" asked the Earl, nodding assent to these philosophies. "She would say, of course."