“‘Very pretty,’ I said, emphatically.
“The man’s lips tightened still more, and I saw a faint smile as he spoke again.
“‘We’ll do our best, sir, but this is a detective case. I should go to Scotland Yard if I was you. Young ladies will do these sort of things. Gets led away, you know.’
“‘What is it, Thomson?’ said an officer whom I saw to be an inspector; and his coming stopped an indignant exclamation on my lips.
“‘Young lady missing,’ said the sergeant.
“‘What description?’ said the inspector, going to the desk.
“I repeated it hastily, and the inspector turned sharply round to his subordinate and spoke to him in a low tone. He then turned to me.
“‘I’m very sorry, sir,’ he said kindly. ‘Just take a seat. Any relative?’
“‘Daughter,’ I panted; and then I read that in the man’s eyes which made the whitewashed office seem to swim round; a deathly sickness overcame me, and all was blank.
“The next thing I remember is feeling cold water splashing my face, and a kindly voice saying—