“Now,” he concluded, “the point of the whole thing is this, Miss Ashton.  We have learned that Betty Blackwell—­you know the case—­ who took the notes over the detectaphone for the Black Book, has suddenly and mysteriously disappeared.  If she is gone, it may be difficult to prove anything, even if we get the book.  Miss Blackwell happens to be a stenographer in the office of Langhorne & Westlake.”

For the first time, Miss Ashton seemed to show a sign of embarrassment.  Evidently she would just as well have had Miss Blackwell in some other connection.

“Perhaps you would rather have nothing to do with it,” suggested Carton, “but I know that you were always interested in things of the sort that happen to girls in the city and thought perhaps you could advise us, even if you don’t feel like personally taking up the case.”

“Oh, it doesn’t—­matter,” she murmured.  “Of course, the first thing for us to do is, as you say, to find what has become of Betty Blackwell.”

Carton turned suddenly at the word “us,” but Miss Ashton was still studying the pattern of the rug.

“Do you know any more about her?” she asked at length.

As fully as possible the District Attorney repeated what he had already told us.  Miss Ashton seemed to be more than interested in the story of the disappearance of Langhorne’s stenographer.

As Carton unfolded the meagre details of what we knew so far, Miss Ashton appeared to be torn by conflicting opinions.  The more she thought of what might possibly have happened to the unfortunate girl, the more aroused about the case she seemed to become.

Carton had evidently calculated on enlisting her sympathies, knowing how she felt toward many of the social and economic injustices toward women, and particularly girls.

“If Mr. Murtha or Mr. Dorgan is responsible in any way for any harm to her,” she said finally, her earnest eyes now ablaze with indignation, “I shall not rest until someone is punished.”

Kennedy had been watching her emotions keenly, I suspect, to see whether she connected Langhorne in any way with the disappearance.  I could see it interested him that she did not seem even to consider that Langhorne might be responsible.  Whether her intuition was correct or not, it was at least better at present than any guess that we three might have made.

“They control so many forces for evil,” she went on, “that there is no telling what they might command against a defenceless girl like her when it is a question of their political power.”

“Then,” pursued Kennedy, pacing the floor thoughtfully, “the next question is, How are we to proceed?  The first step naturally will be the investigation of this Little Montmartre.  How is it to be done?  I presume you don’t want to go up there and look the place over yourself, do you, Carton?”

“Most certainly not,” said Carton emphatically.  “Not if you want this case to go any further.  Why, I can’t walk around a corner now without a general scurry for the cyclone cellars.  They all know me, and those who don’t are watching for me.  On the contrary, if you are going to start there I had better execute a flank movement in Queens or Jersey to divert attention.  Really, I mean it.  I had better keep in the background.  But I’ll tell you what I would like to do.”