“Ah—” Mr. Gervaise glanced about the study as though to take inspiration from the surroundings, then coughed apologetically again. “Ah—the fact is, gentlemen, that several of our little charges have—ah—mysteriously disappeared. During the past six months we have missed no less than five of the home’s inmates, two boys and three girls, and only day before yesterday a sixth one disappeared—vanished into air, if you can credit my statement.”

“Ah?” Jules de Grandin sat forward a little in his chair, regarding the caller narrowly. “They have disappeared, vanished, you do say? Perhaps they have decamped?”

“No-o,” Gervaise denied, “I don’t think that’s possible, sir. Our home is only a semi-public institution, you know, being supported entirely by voluntary gifts and benefits of wealthy patrons, and we do not open our doors to orphan children as a class. There are certain restrictions imposed. For this reason, we never entertain a greater number than we are able to care for in a fitting manner, and conditions at Springville are rather different from those obtaining in most institutions of a similar character. The children are well fed, well clothed and excellently housed, and—as far as anyone in their unfortunate situation can be—are perfectly contented and happy. During my tenure of office, more than ten years, we have never had a runaway; and that makes these disappearances all the harder to explain. In each case the surrounding facts have been essentially the same, too. The child was accounted for at night before the signal was given to extinguish the lights, and—and next morning he just wasn’t there. That’s all there is to say. There is nothing further I can tell you.”

“You have searched?” de Grandin asked.

“Naturally. The most careful and painstaking investigations have been made in every case. It was not possible to pursue the little ones with hue and cry, of course, but the home has been to considerable expense in hiring private investigators to obtain some information of the missing children, all without result. There is no question of kidnapping, either, for, in every case, the child was known to be safely inside not only the grounds, but in the dormitories, on the night preceding the disappearance. Several reputable witnesses vouch for that in each instance.”

“U’m?” de Grandin commented once more. “You say you have been at considerable expense in the matter, Monsieur?”

“Yes.”

“Good. Very good. You will please be at some more considerable expense. Dr. Trowbridge and I are gens d’affaires—businessmen—as well as scientists, Monsieur, and while we shall esteem it an honor to serve the fatherless and motherless orphans of your home, we must receive an adequate consideration from Monsieur Richards. We shall undertake the matter of ascertaining the whereabouts of your missing charges at five hundred dollars apiece. Do you agree?”

“But that would be three thousand dollars—” the visitor began.