"You can hardly speak of a detective as being mixed up in a murder," I said. "Every celebrated detective has always several important cases going at once, one of which is very likely to be a murder. The reason I suggest Merritt is that I have seen a good deal of him lately, and have been much impressed by his character as well as his ability. He is a kindly, honourable, and discreet man, and that is more than can be said for the majority of his fellows, and, professionally, he stands at the very top of the ladder. You want to find your wife as quickly as possible, and at the same time to avoid all publicity. You therefore must consult a thoroughly reliable as well as competent person." "But if I go to Merritt and tell him that my wife has disappeared, I must also tell of the strange way she has been behaving lately. That will lead to his discovering that the murdered man was a friend of hers, and who knows but that he may end by suspecting her of complicity in his death?--and I acknowledge that her flight lends some colour to that theory." "My dear fellow, he has been aware for some time--since Monday, in fact--that the dead man visited your wife the very evening he was killed, and yet, knowing all this, he told me that Mrs. Atkins could not be connected in the remotest way with the tragedy." "He said that!" exclaimed Atkins, with evident relief. "He did," I assured him. "All right, then; let's go to him at once." As soon as I was dressed we got into a cab and drove rapidly to Mr. Merritt's. We met the detective just going out, but he at once turned back with us, and we were soon sitting in his little office. Atkins was so overcome by the situation that I found it necessary to explain our errand. The detective, on hearing of Mrs. Atkins's flight gave a slight start. "I wish I knew at what time she left home," he said. "I think I can help you there,"--and I told him of the person I had seen stealing from the building, and who I now believed to have been no other than Mrs. Atkins. "Half-past two," he murmured; "I wonder she left as early as that. Where could she have gone to at that hour! It looks as if she had arranged her flight beforehand and prepared some place of refuge. Do you know of any friend in the city she would be likely to appeal to in such an emergency?" he inquired, turning towards Atkins. "No," he replied; "whatever friends she has here have all been previously friends of mine, and as she has only known them since our marriage they have not had time to become very intimate yet." After asking a few more pertinent questions, Mr. Merritt rose. "I think I have all the necessary facts now and will at once order the search started. I hope soon to have good news for you." We all three left the detective's house together, but separated immediately afterwards. Atkins, haggard and wild-eyed, went off to look for his wife himself. I had to go to the hospital, and Merritt offered to accompany me there.