"Well!" he said at last, as the high roofs of Scarnham came in view, "we'll hear what Polke has to tell. Something may have happened since those inquest proceedings this afternoon."
But Polke, when they reached his office, had little to tell. Lord Ellersdeane, Betty Fosdyke, and Stephen Hollis were with him, evidently in consultation, and Starmidge at once saw that Betty looked distressed and anxious in no ordinary degree. All turned eagerly on the two detectives. But Starmidge addressed himself straight to Polke with one direct inquiry.
"Seen him?—heard of him?" he asked.
"Not a word!" answered Polke. "Nor a sign! If he came down by that train you spoke of, he ought to have been in the town by four o'clock at the outside. But he's never been to the bank, and he certainly hadn't arrived at his house three-quarters of an hour ago. And since ten o'clock this morning t'other's disappeared, too!"
"What—Joseph?" exclaimed Starmidge.
"Just so!" replied Polke, with the expression of a man who feels that things are getting too much for individual effort, "He was at the bank at eight o'clock this morning—one of my men saw him go in by the back way—orchard way, you know. The clerks say he went out—that way again—at ten, and he's never been seen since."
"His house!" said Starmidge. "Have you tried that?"
"Know nothing of him there—the old man and old woman said so, at any rate," answered Polke. "He seems to have cleared out. And now here's fresh bother, though I don't know if it's anything to do with this. Mr. Neale's missing—never been seen since six yesterday evening. Miss Fosdyke's anxious——"
"He was to see me at nine last night," said Betty. "No one has seen him. His landlady says he never returned home last night. Do you think anything can have happened——"
"If anything's happened to Mr. Neale," interrupted Starmidge, "it's all of a piece with the rest of it. Now, superintendent!" he went on, turning to Polke, "never mind what news I've brought—we've got to find these two Chestermarkes at once! We must go, some of us, to the Warren, some to the Cornmarket. See here!—Easleby and I will go on to the Cornmarket now—you get some of your men and follow. If we hear nothing there—then, the Warren. But—quick!"