"How should I know?" said Evan.
"But you accompanied him on all his walks! You know his haunts!"
"His haunts!" exclaimed Evan. "His haunts comprised the whole five boroughs of Greater New York with occasional excursions into Jersey!"
"But you must go in search of him! I cannot let the night pass and do nothing!"
"My dear sir, I wouldn't have the faintest notion where to begin. The only thing to do is to send out a general alarm through the police."
Deaves wrung his hands. "I can't do that! I can't risk another horrible newspaper sensation on top of everything else!"
"Then there's nothing to do but wait to see what happens," said Evan patiently. "If he's had an accident in the street, you will be notified."
"You think I'd be glad if something happened to him," said Deaves. "Everybody thinks so. But after all he's my father. It's the suspense that drives me out of my mind!"
"It cannot be for long. If the blackmailers have kidnapped him——"
"That is what I fear!"