It was from Mrs. Beverley, dated from the Grand Hotel, in Paris, asking whether Sylvia was with him. Four days before she had suddenly packed a small dressing-case during her mother’s absence, and left the hotel, leaving behind a note stating that in consequence of an urgent telegram from Geoffrey she had gone back to Brussels and would write.
Geoffrey had sent no telegram! What could have happened?
The Captain saw that the news distressed the young radio-engineer, and expressed his regret if the message was disconcerting.
“Yes, it is,” replied the young man as he removed the telephones from his ears and re-read the long message. “Is the car in use? I must go to Brussels at once.”
“You can have it, of course. I’ll go and order it for you.”
Therefore, a quarter of an hour later Geoffrey was speeding back over the dusty road to Brussels. On arrival his first inquiry was at the Palace Hotel, where Sylvia had stayed with her mother. Nobody, however, had seen her there since her departure for Paris. He drove up the boulevard to Wiltshire’s, and there made similar inquiry, but to no purpose. To other places he went that night, making diligent inquiry everywhere, and then he drove out to the aerodrome, for she had been with him there once or twice. But no trace could he discover of her.
So at eleven o’clock he sent a telegram to her mother saying that he had not seen her, and that apparently she had not come to Brussels. He added that he had sent her no telegram.
Sylvia, to whom he was so devoted, was missing! But why?
Just before midnight, so perturbed had he become, that he went to the Bureau of Police, and there saw Monsieur Guiette, the well-known Belgian chef de la Sûreté. To him he told the story, after explaining who he was. The official heard him patiently, and promised to have some inquiries made. He suggested, however, that inquiries should be also made in Paris, as perhaps the young lady had not left for Brussels after all.
“She may have gone to London with some motive known only to herself,” Monsieur Guiette suggested.