Yes, I decided, I was very fortunate in gaining Martigny's acquaintance. Of course, after he opened his business, he would have less time to devote to me; but, nevertheless, we should have many pleasant evenings together, and I looked forward to them with considerable anticipation. He was interesting in himself--entertaining, with that large tolerance and good humor which I have already mentioned, and which was one of the most striking characteristics of the man. And then--shall I admit it?--I was lonely, too, sometimes, as I suppose every bachelor must be; and I welcomed a companion. * * * * * It was Monday, the fourteenth day of April, and we had just opened the office, when a clerk hurried in with a message for Mr. Royce. "There's a man out here who wants to see you at once, sir," he said. "He says his name's Thompson, and that he's Miss Frances Holladay's butler." Our junior half-started from his chair in his excitement; then he controlled himself, and sank back into it again. "Show him in," he said, and sat with his eyes on the door, haggard in appearance, pitiful in his eagerness. Not until that moment had I noticed how the past week had aged him and worn him down--his work, of course, might account for part of it, but not for all. He seemed almost ill. The door opened in a moment, and a gray-haired man of about sixty entered. He was fairly gasping for breath, and plainly laboring under strong emotion. "Well, Thompson," demanded Mr. Royce, "what's the trouble now?" "Trouble enough, sir!" cried the other. "My mistress has been made away with, sir! She left town just ten days ago for Belair, where we were all waiting for her, and nobody has set eyes on her since, sir!" CHAPTER X An Astonishing Disappearance Mr. Royce grasped the arms of his chair convulsively, and remained for a moment speechless under the shock. Then he swung around toward me. "Come here, Lester," he said hoarsely. "I needed you once before, and I need you now. This touches me so closely I can't think consecutively. You _will_ help, won't you?" There was an appeal in his face which showed his sudden weakness--an appeal there was no resisting, even had I not, myself, been deeply interested in the case. "Gladly," I answered, from the depths of my heart, seeing how overwrought he was. "I'll help to the very limit of my power, Mr. Royce." He sank back into his chair again, and breathed a long sigh. "I knew you would," he said. "Get the story from Thompson, will you?" I brought a chair, and sat down by the old butler. "You have been in Mr. Holladay's family a great many years, haven't you, Mr. Thompson?" I asked, to give him opportunity to compose himself. "Yes, a great many years, sir--nearly forty, I should say." "Before Miss Holladay's birth, then?"