“If you did not talk to me frankly I would be much more troubled.”  I drew the scarf about my shoulders a little closer.  I knew what was coming.  The thought of it chilled.  “Is it about Harrie you are again worried?”

Selwyn nodded.  “You knew he had left home?  Knew he had taken a bachelor apartment downtown?”

“I heard it day before yesterday.  Kitty told me.  Billie is pretty upset about him.  Being five years older and married, Billie is seeing life rather differently from the way Harrie takes it, and the latter’s recklessness—­”

Selwyn looked at me, then away.  “The boy is beyond comprehension.  I haven’t seen him but once in nearly two weeks.  Five days before Christmas he had his trunk and certain things sent down-town, and wrote me a note telling of the apartment he’d taken.  I’ve been to see him several times, but he’s never in and, I’m told, hasn’t been in now for over a week.  I’ve written him, made every inquiry likely to lead to information without exciting undue suspicion, and now, unless I go to the police—­” Biting the ends of his close-cut mustache, Selwyn stopped abruptly.

“Does Mrs. Swink know he has left home?”

“If she doesn’t, she’ll know it to-morrow when she gets my answer to this.”  Taking a letter from his pocket, Selwyn threw it on the table behind me.  “Later you can read that, if you’ve time to waste.  I got it to-day.  Harrie hasn’t been to see Madeleine for over a week.  Mrs. Swink wants to know why.  Wants to know where he is.  So do I.”

“Didn’t he dine with Mildred on Christmas day?  I thought both of you were always there at Christmas.”

“We are.  When Mildred’s Christmas dinner is over I thank God there will be three hundred and sixty-five days before she can have another one.  Harrie was all right when he came in, but he took too much egg-nog, too much of other things Mildred had no business having, I tried to make him go home with me, but he wouldn’t do it.  Then I tried to go with him and he wouldn’t let me do that either.  Said he had an engagement with Miss Swink.  He was not in a condition to fill it, but, thinking if she saw him Mrs. Swink might take in what she so far has failed to understand, I was rather glad he was going to keep his engagement.  He didn’t keep it.”

“What did he do?  Where did he go?”

Selwyn’s face darkened.  “I don’t know.  Nobody knows.  He hasn’t been in his apartment since Christmas day.  His trunk and clothes are in his rooms, also his suit-cases and bags, and there is no evidence of his having gone off on a trip.  I haven’t told Mildred.  She’d go into hysterics and tell the town Harrie had disappeared.  Mrs. Swink, however, had to be told something.  Madeleine, I imagine, has given notice and her mother is sitting up.”  Selwyn’s hands made gesture of disgust.  “Her letter is inquisitorial and hysterical.  My answer will give a bump, I imagine.”