“Well, I had a matter on hand that I wished you to take in charge. Is this case, upon which you are already engaged, important?”

“It seems to be.”

“What is it?”

“A disappearance. A beautiful girl, just of age, rich, accomplished, about to be married to the man she loved, is missing from Philadelphia.”

“Who engaged you in the matter?”

“The man she was to marry.”

“How long has the young lady been among the missing?”

“About a month.”

“And they have just begun the search?”

“So it seems. I gather from the facts as they were related to me, that not much importance was attached to her disappearance at first.