A half-hour passed, and I sat lost in speculation, watching the blue smoke curling upward, striving vainly to penetrate the mystery. For I was as far as ever from a solution of it. Who were these people? What was their aim? How had they managed to win Miss Holladay over to their side; to persuade her to accompany them; to flee from her friends--above all, from our junior partner? How had they caused her change of attitude toward him? Or had they really abducted her? Was there really danger of foul play--danger that she would fall a victim, as well as her father? Who was Martigny? And, above all, what was the plot? What did he hope to gain? What was he striving for? What was this great stake, for which he risked so much? To these questions I could find no reasonable answer; I was still groping aimlessly in the dark; and at last in sheer confusion, I put down my pipe, turned out the light, and went to bed. CHAPTER XIII En Voyage Mr. Graham's congratulations next morning quite overwhelmed me. "I never expected such complete and speedy success, Mr. Lester," he said warmly. "You've done splendid work." I pointed out to him that, after all, my success was purely the result of accident. Had I been really clever, I should have instantly suspected what that sudden seizure on the station platform meant, I should have hurried back to the scene, and followed Martigny--as I still called him in my thoughts--to the hospital, on the chance of securing his first address. Instead of which, if chance had not befriended me, I should have been as far as ever from a solution of the mystery. I trembled to think upon what a slender thread my victory had hung. But my chief would not listen; he declared that a man must be judged by his achievements, and that he judged me by mine. "Let us find out how our friend is," I said at last; so the hospital was called up. We were informed that the patient was stronger, but would not be able to leave his bed for two or three days. "The Jourdains may tell him of my call," I said. "They'll suspect something when I don't return to-day--yet they may wait for me a day or two longer--they have my money--and one day is all I want. It's just possible that they may keep silent altogether. They've nothing to gain by speaking--it's plain that they're not in the conspiracy. Anyway, to-morrow I'll be out of reach." Mr. Graham nodded. "Yes--that's plainly the next step. You must follow them to France--but where in France will you look for them? I didn't think of that before. Why, the search is just beginning! I thought it impossible to accomplish what you have accomplished, but that seems easy, now, beside this new problem."