As Flint left the fountain Balcom, suave and well groomed as usual, was
just giving his hat and stick to the butler when Locke and Eva,
returning from Flint's room, encountered him in the hallway.
"Oh, Mr. Balcom," exclaimed Eva, "Mr. Locke and I are at a loss to
account for Mr. Flint's disappearance! I told the gardeners, and they
have hunted for him all over the estate and beyond, but he has
disappeared as completely as though the ground had swallowed him."
Balcom expressed his utmost astonishment and at once insisted on going
to Flint's room to solve the mystery himself.
Eva and Locke went directly into the library, where Locke for the first
time had an opportunity to tell Eva the result of his visit to the
chemist. The fact that they had discovered the nature of the toxin was
in itself encouraging, and Eva felt that, even now, she could see the
glimmer of a silver lining to the clouds.
"If we can only locate Mr. Flint, Quentin," she murmured, "I feel that
much would be explained."
Hardly had the words passed her lips when, breathless and disheveled,
Flint staggered up the stairs from under the porte-cochere and into the
hallway.
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