“I don’t know, sir, but he can’t be far away. The second man says that Stryker was in his pantry and he answered a telephone call there, and then he just flung on his hat and coat and went out.”
“He’s escaped!” shouted Groot, dashing out of the room and downstairs, two at a time.
And he had. Search of the house showed no trace of the vanished butler, save his belongings in his room. And among these were several handkerchiefs, indisputably from the same lot as the one found at the place of the crime. And a further search of the rooms of every inmate of the household showed no other such handkerchief.
CHAPTER XI
DUANE THE DETECTIVE
Having learned from Avice of Stryker’s relatives, Groot sought the butler at the home of his daughter.
“No,” said Mrs. Adler, a scared-looking young woman, “I don’t know where father is. I haven’t seen him for a day or two. But he can’t be lost.”
“He’s in hiding, madam,” said Groot, “and he must be found. Are you sure he’s not here?”
“Of course, I’m sure. What do you want of him, anyway? My husband is very ill, and I wish you wouldn’t bother me about it. I don’t believe anything has happened to my father, but if there has, I don’t know anything of it. You’ll have to excuse me now, I’m very busy.” She didn’t exactly shut the door in his face, but she came near it, and Groot went away uncertain as to whether she was telling the truth or not.
“I wish I’d searched the house,” he thought. “If Stryker doesn’t turn up soon, I will.”
Stryker didn’t turn up soon, and Groot and his men did search the house of Mrs. Adler and her sick husband, but with no result.