Evening star., 1922-07-02

First" l said. have you quar-
reled?"
"Quarreled? Why. of course not
we love each other far. too, well for
| that" he declared. We've never had
cross word. And yet, she's left me.
This is all I've had"
He showed me telegram which
had been handed in at Maidstone. in
Kent. and which read:
do not worry. Shall return
soon-Joan"
X X
CERTAINLY it was curious that a
bride of a week should leave her
husband suddenly without explana-
tion and send him that reassuring
message.
What do you think of it. hey?"
How long has she been gomez" l
asked
Three days. I intended to go to
the police tonight. but l thought the
papers might get hold of it. and I
don't want that under any circum-
stances"
We'll, first tell me what happened
ever since you arrived from Nation"
l said
Nothing much. We've been about
a good deal. shopping and to the
theaters. We had to stay in London
in order to get my passport vised for
France. She had hers six months
ago. We intended to go to Biarritz
for three weeks, and should have left
yesterday. She was looking forward
to it very eagerly. as she was there
directly after she left school. She
had a schoolgirl friend there-a
Mademoiselle VineL. Shall we go
to Scotland Yard and report that my
wife is missing What do you ad-
wise "
1 reflected.
AT present I think I should refrain
from raising the hue-and-cry. Better
advertise in half dozen of the daily
papers and see whether we have any
result. 1t Is evident that your wife
has gone off of her own free will. If
she sees that you are really distressed
she will, no doubt. communicate with
you"
We went across to the writing
table, where we drafted an advertise
ment. brief but the point, and which
read:
ITO Joan.-It is unfair! Come back
or write. Have forgiven you
Charles
This appeared in the papers two
days later, but as day after day
called upon him-having, of course.
reported to Joan's mother-no answer
came.
1t became quite clear to me that
there had been no quarrel between
the pair. Each time 1 saw Wharn-
clifYe he seemed to be increasingly
anxious. and yet there was one small
fact which I discovered and which
set me thinking deeply.
+ \ 81 x
A BOUT a week after the advertise
ment had appeared / happened to
go with a man who had invited me
to dinner at small restaurant in
Soho. and there, as entered the -uoor,
I saw Wharncliffe seated at table
with a rather good-looking girl, some
what fiashily dressed
For an instant I drew back. so that
he should not see me. 1t was, to say
the least, curious that IL he were so
infatuated with his young wife. who
was missing, he should now be found
in a little foreign restaurant where
he might not be recognized with q
girl whom 1 took to be a chorus lady.
I made an excuse to my friend and
we dined elsewhere. But the circum-
stance set me thinking.
Next day I called again at the
Carlton. .....
Il fear I'll have to be back in Man.
chester" he said. MY business is
going on anyhow. At the office they
are asking me to return. I've some
big deals on just now"
Surely you won't give up all hope
Of tracing your wife?' I said. not
without suspicion. What had dis
covered on the previous night had
caused me much reflection. Did he
know Of her whereabouts? won
dered. Had he himself sent that tele-
gram from Maidstone? Besides. why
should he be averse to the affair get
ting into the papers? Further, by
marrying Joan he had become pos
sessed of certain funds which would
help him considerably in his busi-
ness.
Don't you think 1t is now time
that we went to Scotland Yard3 II