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4 shouldn't want him ever to know that I'd employed a detective for anything like this. But of course you are different."

"I am 'different', as you say," responded Astro, smiling. "I shall be able to trace him, no doubt, without any one ever suspecting me. Just when did you see him for the last time?"

"On Tuesday, the tenth."

"And now it is the twentieth. He has had no business troubles?"

"On the contrary, he was doing remarkably well in his real estate business. We've been saving up to go abroad, you see; it has been a plan we've had ever since we were married. It's a sort of delayed honeymoon, I suppose. We hoped to live in Italy for a year." She sighed.

"You are a church-member, I presume?"

"Yes, I go to the Park Avenue Presbyterian church. Mr. Hudson is a deacon there."

"I see. He is well-off, you say?"

"Oh, no; not that. But we have been quite encouraged of late. Mr. Hudson was quite hopeful about our European trip."

"Very well, Mrs. Hudson; I shall be at your house at nine o'clock to-morrow."

Valeska entered the room again as soon as the visitor had left, and looked at the palmist, with a question in her eyes.

Astro waved his hand carelessly. "As I thought," he began, turning to his narghile, lighting it, and blowing the fumes through his nose luxuriously, "John