“What, has she gone home?”

“Home, sir? I don’t know, sir—I mean, since you fetched her, sir.”

“Since I fetched her, woman! Are you mad?”

“Not as I knows on, sir,” said the woman, with the asperity of one in her profession. “You ast me where missus was, and I says as I ain’t seen her since you fetched her last night.”

“Since I fetched her last night! You mean the night before, to go out to dinner—Dr Stonor’s.”

“No, sir, I don’t; I mean the very last night as is, ’bout half an hour after you was took.”

“Yes, yes; go on,” said Huish, turning ghastly pale.

“You come back and told missus quite sharp like to put on her things, and took her away in a cab.”

“Are you—dreaming?” faltered Huish, staggering back against the wall.

“Dreaming! no, sir, of course not. And the poor dear got ready in a minute, and you both went off in a cab.”