Monsieur
Aristide Saucourt, who now lives in complete retirement, always
inclined to the drowning theory."
THE QUEST
An unwonted peace hung over the Villa Elsinore, broken, however,
at frequent intervals, by clamorous lamentations suggestive of
bewildered bereavement. The Momebys had lost their infant child;
hence the peace which its absence entailed; they were looking for
it in wild, undisciplined fashion, giving tongue the whole time,
which accounted for the outcry which swept through house and
garden whenever they returned to try the home coverts anew.
Clovis, who was temporarily and unwillingly a paying guest at the
villa, had been dozing in a hammock at the far end of the garden
when Mrs. Momeby had broken the news to him.
"We've lost Baby," she screamed.
"Do you mean that it's dead, or stampeded, or that you staked it
at cards and lost it that way?" asked Clovis lazily.
"He was toddling about quite happily on the lawn," said Mrs.
Momeby tearfully, "and Arnold had just come in, and I was asking
him what sort of sauce he would like with the asparagus--"
"I hope he said hollandaise," interrupted Clovis, with a show of
quickened interest, "because if there's anything I hate--"
"And all of a sudden I missed Baby," continued Mrs.
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