"I am convinced that Mrs. Pargeter never intended to go to Madame de Lera, and that the proposed visit was a blind! The facts speak for themselves. Madame de Lera had taken only one servant to the country, and this servant, an old woman whom she has had with her many years, and whom she can entirely trust, had no idea that her mistress was expecting a visitor! I repeat--that no preparations for Mrs. Pargeter's arrival had been made at Marly-le-Roi. It is my belief--nay, my conviction--that Madame de Lera knows perfectly well where her friend is now concealed." It was then that Vanderlyn committed what was perhaps the only mistake he was destined to commit during this difficult interview. "Has Madame de Lera made any such admission?" he asked quickly. "No," answered the Prefect, looking at him thoughtfully, "Madame de Lera has made no admission; but then I have learned, through long experience, never to believe, where there is a friend in the case, what a lady tells me. Women of the world, my dear sir, are more loyal the one to the other than we men may choose to believe!" "And men, Monsieur? Are they more disloyal?" Vanderlyn spoke quietly, indifferently, as if the question was of no moment. "Men," said Monsieur le Prefet, dryly, "are as a rule quite as loyal, especially where they feel their honour is engaged. But with a man it is possible to reason; a woman, especially a good woman, follows the dictates of instinct,--in other words, of her heart." "I notice, Monsieur le Prefet, that you eliminate the possibility of material accident having occurred to Mrs. Pargeter?" "Let us distinguish!" exclaimed the older man quickly. "If, by accident, you mean, Mr. Vanderlyn, the type of mishap which might have occurred to this lady when she was walking or driving in our Paris streets, then I certainly eliminate the possibility of accident to Mrs. Pargeter. Within six hours of such a thing having occurred the facts would have been laid before me, and, as you know, two nights and two days have elapsed since her disappearance. If, on the other hand, we envisage the possibility of suicide, then are opened up a new series of possibilities." The Prefect gave a piercing look at the American's worn and sorrow-laden face, but he did not find written there any involuntary answer to his mute interrogation.