But here, as in every direction I
turned, I was baffled.
A neat maid answered the bell, but she stood squarely in the
doorway, and it was impossible to preserve one's dignity and pass
her.
"Miss Armstrong is very ill, and unable to see any one," she
said. I did not believe her.
"And Mrs. Armstrong--is she also ill?"
"She is with Miss Louise and can not be disturbed."
"Tell her it is Miss Innes, and that it is a matter of the
greatest importance."
"It would be of no use, Miss Innes. My orders are positive."
At that moment a heavy step sounded on the stairs. Past the
maid's white-strapped shoulder I could see a familiar thatch of
gray hair, and in a moment I was face to face with Doctor
Stewart. He was very grave, and his customary geniality was
tinged with restraint.
"You are the very woman I want to see," he said promptly. "Send
away your trap, and let me drive you home. What is this about
your nephew?"
"He has disappeared, doctor. Not only that, but there is every
evidence that he has been either abducted, or--" I could not
finish. The doctor helped me into his capacious buggy in
silence. Until we had got a little distance he did not speak;
then he turned and looked at me.
"Now tell me about it," he said. He heard me through without
speaking.
"And you think Louise knows something?" he said when I had
finished. "I don't--in fact, I am sure of it. The best evidence
of it is this: she asked me if he had been heard from, or if
anything had been learned.
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