“I heard that two Members of Parliament went through the town on bicycles yesterday,” said Lord Manton, “with a lot of women after them on cars; Suffragettes, I suppose, pursuing them for votes. It’s astonishing how they track those poor fellows to the remotest ends of the earth.” “They’ve disappeared,” said Mr. Goddard. “Sensible men. That was by far the wisest thing they could do. But I wonder how they managed it? You haven’t been able to disappear from Miss Blow. We must find out about it. I may have to disappear myself when that question comes up to the House of Lords.” “You’ve not got it right,” said Mr. Goddard. “The women on the cars were their wives. Or rather two of them were. The other was their aunt.” “Dear me! Is that legal? That sort of group marriage with a common aunt doesn’t seem to me quite the thing for Members of Parliament.” “They had one wife each, of course,” said Mr. Goddard, “and the aunt only belonged to one of them. They have the police roused all over the country looking for them. That’s what brings me here this morning. I’ve got to do something to find them.” “Do you mean to tell me that these two men have got lost in such a way that they can’t be found?” “They have. It’s really a most extraordinary thing. They started on bicycles yesterday from Clonmore to ride to Pool-a-donagh. They never arrived. That’s really all we know about the matter. The ladies followed them on a car and didn’t overtake them. We’ve telegraphed to every police barrack in the neighbourhood, and they haven’t turned up anywhere.” “I’ll tell you what it is, Goddard. This is an uncommonly awkward business for you. Here you are, responsible for the safety of the inhabitants of this district, and no less than four men disappear completely in the inside of a single week. First there was Dr. O’Grady. Then poor Patsy Devlin vanished, leaving a wife and family behind him.” “We know all about them,” said Mr. Goddard. “And now no less than two Members of Parliament. It doesn’t look at all well. I’m greatly afraid there’ll be a fuss when it gets into the newspapers. The public will take the keenest interest in it. We shall have columns and columns every day. Do you happen to know whether these men were Liberals or Conservatives?” “No, I don’t. I don’t see that it makes any difference. I’ve got to find them whichever they are.” “It makes the greatest difference,” said Lord Manton. “If they’re supporters of the Government, there’ll be a much bigger fuss than if they’re on the Opposition side. The Prime Minister isn’t likely to sit down quietly under the loss of two votes, especially with the way bye-elections are going at present. You’ll simply have to find them.” “I wish I could,” said Mr. Goddard. “I’d do it quick enough, whatever their politics are, if I knew how to go about it.”