QUEST FIGHTS HIS WAY TO THE GIRL HE LOVES.
AS THE PROFESSOR EXPLAINED THE CELLAR’S HISTORY TO QUEST, THE STONE CROSS CLOSED ON THE FRIGHTENED SERVANT.
The Inspector was at first only politely interested. It probably occurred to him that young ladies have been known before now to disappear from their guardians for a few hours without serious results.
“Where did this aunt live?” he enquired.
“Number 17, Princes’ Court Road, West Kensington,” Quest replied. “She had just moved there from Elsmere Road, Hampstead. I went first to Hampstead. Lenora had been there and learnt her aunt’s correct address in West Kensington. I followed on to West Kensington and found that her aunt was still awaiting her.”
A new interest seemed suddenly to have crept into Hardaway’s manner.
“Let me see,” he said, “if she left Clifford’s Hotel about two, she would have been at Hampstead about half-past two. She would waste a few minutes in making enquiries, then she probably left Hampstead for West Kensington, say, at a quarter to three.”
“Somewhere between those two points,” Quest pointed out, “she has disappeared.”