I have a good deal of work on hand, and, unless this case is interesting from a newspaper point of view, as you have just said, I don't think that I should care to touch it." "Oh, you will find it of great interest," the detective assured her with much eagerness.

"It relates to the sudden and hitherto unexplained disappearance of a woman.

That of itself is absorbing, for I may tell you, as one having a large experience, that there is nothing more difficult in this world than for any person, and more especially for a woman, to disappear entirely and leave no trace behind." "I should have thought it quite easy," said Jennie, "especially in a large city like London." "You have given expression to the universal opinion, but I pledge you my word that a completely successful disappearance is one of the most rare events that we detectives have to meet with in our line of investigation." "Please tell me the story," said the girl; "then we can speak more understandingly about it." The detective selected a packet of papers, one of many which occupied the end of his table.

He slipped from it a rubber band which held the documents together.
"The first act of the drama, if we may call it so, began at the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball." "The Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball!" echoed Jennie, with a shudder.

"Oh, dear!" The detective looked up at her.
"Why do you say 'Oh, dear' ?" he asked.
"Because," said the girl wearily, "I am tired hearing of the Duchess of Chiselhurst's ball; there seems to have been nothing else in the papers for weeks past." "It has excited a great deal of comment," assented the detective; "and, by the way, the _Daily Bugle_ had one of the best accounts of it that was printed in any newspaper." "So I have heard," said Jennie carelessly, "but I most confess that I didn't read that copy of the _Bugle_." "You amaze me! I should have thought that would have been the first part of the paper to which any lady would turn.