“Youmayhavesurmised，Duson，thatshehasleftme。Idesiretoensureyourabsolutefidelity，soItakeyouintomyconfidencetothisextent。Yourmistressisinthehandsofthosewhohavesomepoweroverher。Herabsenceisinvoluntarysofarassheisconcerned。Ithasbeenagreatblowtome。Iampreparedtorunallriskstodiscoverherwhereabouts。Itislateinmylifeforadventures，butitisverycertainthatadventuresanddangersarebeforeus。Inaccompanyingmeyouwillassociateyourselfwithmanyrisks。Therefore-“
　　Dusonhelduphishand。
　　“Ibeg，sir，“heexclaimed，“thatyouwillnotsuggestforamomentmyleavingyourserviceonthataccount。Ibegmosthumbly，sir，thatyouwillnotdomethatinjustice。“
　　Mr。Sabinpaused。Hiseyes，likelightning，readtheother’sface。
　　“Itissettledthen，Duson，“hesaid。“Kindlypaythiscabman，andfollowmeasquicklyaspossible。“
　　Mr。Sabinpassedacrossthemarblehall，leaningheavilyuponhisstick。Yetforallhisslowmovementstherewasanewalertnessinhiseyesandbearing。Hewasoncemoretakingkeennoteofeverybodyandeverythingabouthim。Onlyafewdaysagoshehadbeenhere。
　　Heclaimedhisroomsattheoffice，andhandedthekeystoDuson，whobythistimehadrejoinedhim。Atthemomentofturningawayheaddressedaninquirytotheclerkbehindthecounter。
　　“CanyoutellmeiftheDuchessofSouspennierisstayinghere？“
　　heinquired。
　　Theyoungmanglancedup。
　　“Beenhere，Iguess。LeftonTuesday。“
　　Mr。Sabinturnedaway。HedidnotspeakagainuntilDusonandhewerealoneinthesitting-room。Thenhedrewoutafivedollarbill。
　　“Duson，“hesaid，“takethistotheheadluggageporter。Tellhimtobringhisdeparturebookuphereatonce，andthereisanotherwaitingforhim。Youunderstand？“
　　“Certainly，sir！“
　　Mr。Sabinturnedtoenterhisbed-chamber。Hisattentionwasattracted，however，byaletterlyingflatuponthetable。Hetookitup。ItwasaddressedtoMr。Sabin。
　　“Thisisveryclever，“hemused，hesitatingforamomentbeforeopeningit。“Iwiredforroomsonlyafewhoursago-andIfindaletter。Itisthecommencement。“
　　Hetoreopentheenvelope，anddrewoutasinglehalf-sheetofnote-paper。Acrossitwasscrawledasinglesentenceonly。
　　“GobacktoLenox。“
　　Therewasnosignature，noranydate。Theonlynoticeablethingaboutthisbriefcommunicationwasthatitwaswritteninyellowpencilofapeculiarshade。Mr。Sabin’seyesglitteredasheread。
　　“Theyellowcrayon！“hemuttered。
　　Dusonknockedsoftlyatthedoor。Mr。Sabinthrusttheletterandenvelopeintohisbreastcoatpocket。
　　Thisistheluggageporter，sir，“Dusonannounced。“Heispreparedtoansweranyquestions。“
　　Themantookouthisbook。Mr。Sabin，whowassittinginaneasy-chair，turnedsidewaystowardshim。
　　“TheDuchessofSouspennierwasstayingherelastweek，“hesaid。
　　“Sheleft，Ibelieve，onThursdayorFriday。Canyoutellmewhetherherbaggagewentthroughyourhands？“
　　Themansetdownhishatuponavacantchair，andturnedovertheleavesofhisbook。
　　“GuessIcanfixthatforyou，“heremarked，runninghisforefingerdownoneofthepages。“Hereweare。TheDuchessleftonFriday，andwecheckedherbaggagethroughtoLenoxbytheNewYork，NewHaven&Hartford。“
　　Mr。Sabinnodded。
　　“Thankyou，“hesaid。“Shewouldprobablytakeacarriagetothestation。Itwillbeworthanothertendollarstoyouifyoucanfindmethemanwhodroveher。“
　　“Well，weoughttomanagethatforyou，“themanremarkedencouragingly。“ItwasoneofSteveHassell’scarriages，Iguess，unlesstheladytookahansom。“
　　“Verygood，“Mr。Sabinsaid。“Seeifyoucanfindhim。Keepmyinquiriesentirelytoyourself。Itwillpayyou。“
　　“That’sallright，“themanremarked。“Don’tyougotobedforhalf-an-hour，andIguessyou’llhearfrommeagain。“
　　Dusonbusiedhimselfinthebed-chamber，Mr。Sabinsatmotionlessinhiseasychair。Soontherecameatapatthedoor。Theporterreappearedusheringinasmart-lookingyoungman，whocarriedashinycoachman’shatinhishand。
　　“Struckitrightfusttime，“theporterremarkedcheerfully。“Thisistheman，sir。
　　Mr。Sabinturnedhishead。
　　“YoudrovealadyfromheretotheNewYork，NewHaven&HartfordDepotlastFriday？“heasked。
　　“’Well，notexactly，sir，“themananswered。“TheDuchesstookmycab，andthefirstaddressshegavewastheNewYork，NewHaven&HartfordDepot，butbeforewe’ddrivenahundredyardsshepulledthecheck-stringandorderedmetogototheWaldorf。Shepaidmethere，andwentintothehotel。“
　　“Youhavenotseenhersince？“
　　“No，sir！“
　　“Youknewherbysight，yousay。Wasthereanythingspecialaboutherappearance？“
　　Themanhesitated。
　　“She’daprettythickveilon，sir，butsheraisedittopayme，andIshouldsayshe’dbeencrying。Shewasmuchpaler，too，thanlasttimeIdroveher。“
　　“Whenwasthat？“Mr。Sabinasked。
　　“Inthespring，sir，-withyou，beggingyourpardon。YouwereattheNetherlands，andIdroveyououtseveraltimes。“
　　“Youseem，“Mr。Sabinsaid，“tobeapersonwithsomepowersofobservation。ItwouldpayyouverywellindeedifyouwouldascertainfromanyofyourmatesattheWaldorfwhenandwithwhomtheladyinquestionleftthathotel。“
　　“I’llhaveatry，sir，“themananswered。“TheDuchesswasbetterknownhere，butsomeofthemmayhaverecognisedher。“
　　“Shehadnoluggage，Ipresume？“Mr。Sabinasked。
　　“Herdressing-caseandjewel-caseonly，sir。“
　　“Soyousee，“Mr。Sabincontinued，“itisprobablethatshedidnotremainattheWaldorfforthenight。Baseyourinquiriesonthatsupposition。“
　　“Verygood，sir。“
　　“Fromyourmannersandspeech，“Mr。Sabinsaid，raisinghishead，“IshouldtakeyoutobeanEnglishman。“
　　“Quitecorrect，sir，“themananswered。“IdroveahansominLondonforeightyears。“
　　“Youwillunderstandmethen，“Mr。Sabincontinued，“whenIsaythatIhavenogreatconfidenceinthepoliceofthiscountry。I
　　donotwishtobeblackmailedorbullied。Iwouldaskyou，therefore，tomakeyourinquirieswithdiscretion。“
　　“I’llbecareful，sir，“themananswered。
　　Mr。Sabinhandedtoeachofthemarollofnotes。Thecabdriverlingereduponthethreshold。Mr。Sabinlookedup。
　　“Well？“
　　“CouldIspeakawordtoyou-inprivate，sir？“
　　Mr。SabinmotionedDusontoleavetheroom。Thebaggageporterhadalreadydeparted。
　　“WhenIcleanedoutmycabatnight，sir，Ifoundthis。Ididn’treckonitwasofanyconsequenceatfirst，butfromthequestionsyouhavebeenaskingitmaybeusefultoyou。“
　　Mr。Sabintookthehalf-sheetofnote-paperinsilence。ItwastheordinarystationeryoftheWaldorfAstoriaHotel，andthefollowingwordswerewrittenuponitinafaintdelicatehandwriting，butinyellowpencil:-