too, detectives always find out things from some such strange incident as that. When Mr. Wheeler comes, I've no doubt he'll consider it a matter of importance, but I want to deduce for myself what it means."
But Leila couldn't get any inkling of the sofa-cushion's present whereabouts, nor could she form any theory of how it could possibly be connected with Justin's absence.
"It's utterly absurd, Leila," said Fred Crane, "to imagine a sofa-pillow as a clue! What part could it play in the mystery? You don't suppose Justin took it with him?"
"No; of course he wouldn't do that. And yet, where is it? It was here on Monday, for I was matching its colors to make one like it I've asked the housekeeper and the servants."
"What did they say?" asked Crane, not much interested.
"Only Mrs. Garson and the parlor-maid remembered it at all. And they said they knew nothing about it."
"Perhaps the parlor-maid stole it," volunteered Gale. "You say it was a valuable one."
"Not valuable," corrected Leila, "but especially pretty. But Polly wouldn't steal it. She seems a nice girl. Maybe she took it to copy it, and was afraid to own up."
"That's probably it," said Crane. "But it can't possibly be connected with Justin Arnold in any way."
The three were still discussing the sofa-cushion when Mr. Wheeler arrived. The entire household assembled in the living-room to meet him.
While by no means a fine-looking or distinguished man, James Wheeler gave an impression of capability. Rather short and of stocky build, his alert air and quick movements invested him with a degree of importance, and his shrewd eyes betokened an incisive intelligence and a good sense of values. He was plain and straightforward in his methods. No sly and subtle manoeuvring for him. Plain facts, and logical deductions therefrom, constituted his stock-in-trade. His manner was a trifle pompous, as fitted his calling, but he was courteous and deferential, and liked quick action when once he set about his business.
He seated himself in a large chair at one end of the long room, and seemed to take a hasty mental stock of the people grouped about before he spoke at all. He glanced appraisingly at Miss Wadsworth, but as that lady was exceedingly nervous and almost hysterical, the detective looked further for a nominal head of the house.
Fred Crane read his thoughts and volunteered: "Mr. Wheeler, I daresay you want some one to give you the principal facts of the matter in hand, and I will do so. While by no means a detective in the technical sense of the term, I am by nature of a reasoning mind, and I've no doubt I can tell you the salient features more concisely than some of the others present."
Wheeler looked at him. "Thank you, sir," he said, "but I'll not trouble you. I may be peculiar, but I prefer to get at the facts in my own way. Of course, I know that Mr. Arnold has mysteriously been absent since Monday night, or rather Tuesday morning. For he may not have left the house until after daylight. It is now Wednesday morning, and it seems desirable to endeavor to learn where he may be. I will, if you please, address my inquiries to one or another as I may be inclined, but if any one knows of any important fact I trust he will state it when the occasion calls for it."
Though the confidential secretary was perhaps the best informed as to his employer's habits and customs, yet a glance at Chapin's gloomy and forbidding face caused the detective to look in another direction. Mr. Crane, he deemed too officious and too anxious to give information, so he settled on the firm of lawyers, and chose Gale, as being the senior member.
Mr. Wheeler did not say that he had thus made an intentional selection, nor did it take him more than a moment to make up his mind. With a quiet manner, that somehow held the rest listening in silence, he asked some questions of Emory Gale. In a few moments he was in possession of the main facts of the case as known. "Do you think Mr. Arnold could have been drowned?" he asked abruptly.
"No," replied Gale; "I don't think that."
"Do you think he is, for any reason, hiding on purpose?"
"I do not," said Gale decidedly.
"He is not, then, a man who would do such a thing, say, as a practical joke?"
"Decidedly not!" said Gale emphatically.
Wheeler nodded his head. "I understand," he proceeded, "that Mr. Arnold was more or less in the habit of walking in his grounds at night. I mean, when he had no guests, he was given to prowling about among the trees."
"That is true," volunteered Miss Wadsworth, as Gale seemed a little uncertain on this point.
"When he took such walks, did he usually wear hat and overcoat?"
"Yes," replied Miss Abby; "a coat according to the weather, but always a hat. Justin never went out without a hat."
Remembering his fairly well advanced state of baldness, no one was surprised at this.
"Then," went on Mr. Wheeler, "have you investigated his wardrobe, and learned what hat and coat are missing?"
No one had thought to do this, and the valet was summoned to answer questions.
"Peters," said Mr. Wheeler, "do you know all the hats and coats in Mr. Arnold's possession?"
"Certainly, sir," said Peters, with the respectful assurance of the well-trained servant.
"And could you tell if any were missing?"
"Yes, sir."
"And have you made any search?"
"Not to say, sir, exactly a search, but I couldn't help noticing that all Mr. Arnold's hats and top-coats are in their places, and I wondered, sir, what he might have worn on his head when he went away."
"You're positive, Peters, that there is no hat or overcoat missing?"
"I'm positive, sir."
"Has any guest present, or any of the servants, missed a hat or a cap?"
Investigation soon proved that nobody had missed any.
"Mr. Arnold was in evening dress when last seen?"
"Yes," answered Miss Abby; "Justin was always in evening dress after six o'clock. He was most punctilious in that respect, like his father before him."
"And that suit of evening clothes is not in his wardrobe, Peters?"
"No, sir."
"Nor his shoes, nor tie, nor any of the garments that he wore the last time you assisted at his toilet?"
"No, sir; they are all missing from his wardrobe."
"And no other garments are missing?"
"No, sir."
"Then, we are justified in concluding," said Mr. Wheeler, turning to the assembly, "that wherever Mr. Arnold may have gone, he wore the suit of clothes he had on during the evening of his disappearance, and he added no hat or outer garment. This, in addition to the fact that he could not get out of this carefully protected house, leads me to conclude that he is still in the house. Yes, I know you have searched thoroughly, but you must have overlooked his hiding-place. It is extremely improbable that, even if Mr. Arnold could have left the house unseen, any emergency would have caused him to go bareheaded. But before I proceed to work in accordance with my own theory, I will ask if any one has any suggestion to offer, or any information, however slight, to give that could throw light on the matter."
"It is not exactly information," said Fred Crane, "but it is a point to remember, perhaps, that Mr. Arnold would not voluntarily go away from home in evening clothes, without taking proper garments to wear on his return. Had he gone anywhere voluntarily, he would have changed or he would have carried a bag."
"Why do you say 'voluntarily,' Mr. Crane?" asked Wheeler. "Do you mean to imply Mr. Arnold could have been forced to leave his home?"
"It is merely a suggestion," and Crane looked a little important at having gained the detective's attention, "but I must say it seems impossible."
"Of course it's impossible!" said Campbell