诺克斯医生的猜想遭到大家的否定，帕齐还在想象简被带走的原因和过程，漫无目的的等待让人更煎熬……
In sombera procession the men trailed up the stairs to the big library，where a dapper little man sat reading a book and puf？ng atb a huge cigar.He looked up，as they entered，and nodded a head as guiltless of hair as was that of Uncle John.But his face was fresh and chubby，despite his fifty years，and the merry twinkle in his gray eyes seemed out of place，at ？rst thought，in this house of anxiety and distress.
"Ah，Weldon；what news of little Jane？"he cheerfully inquired.
"None，Doctor."
"No trace at all？""None，whatever."
"That's good，"declared the doctor，removing the ash from his cigar.
"Good！"
"Of course.No news is good news.I'll wager my new touring—car that our Jane is sound asleep and dreaming of the angels，this very minute.""Has your new car a self—starter ？"inquired Runyonanxiously，as if about to accept the wager.
"I wish I might share your belief，Doctor，"said Arthur with a deep sigh."It all seems a terrible mystery and I can think of no logical explanation to assure me of baby's safety.""Yes，it's a mystery，"agreed Dr.Knox."But I've justthought of a solution.""What is it？"cried half a dozen voices.
"Sit down and light up.I hope you all smoke ？And you need refreshment，for you've been working under a strain.""Refreshments are coming presently，"said Rudolph."What's your solution，Doc？""The young ladies have been telling me every detail of the disappearance，as well as the events leading up to it.Now，it seems Mildred Travers is an old resident of this section of California.Was born here，in fact."This was news to them all and the suggestion it conveyed caused them to regard Dr.Knox attentively.
"The old Travers Ranch is near San Feliz—about thirtymiles south of here.I know that ranch by reputation，but I've never been there.Now for my solution.The Travers family，hearing that Mildred is at El Cajon，drive over here in their automobile and induce the girl to go home with them.She can't leave baby，so she takes little Jane along，and also Inez to help care for her.There's the fact，in a nutshell.See？It's all as plain as a pikestaff a."For a moment there was silence.Then big Runyon voiced the sentiment of the party in his high treble.
"You may be a good doctor，"said he，"but you're athunderin'bad detective.""If I could telephone to the Travers Ranch，I'd convince you，"asserted the doctor，unmoved by adverse criticism；"but your blamed old telephone is out of order.""As for that，"remarked Rudolph，taking a cigar from a box，"I've been a visitor at the Travers Ranch many times.Charlie Benton lives there.There hasn't been a Travers on the place since they sold it，ten or twelve years ago.""Well，"said the doctor，"I'm sorry to hear that.It was such a simple solution that I thought it must be right.""It was，indeed，simple，"admitted Runyon."Ah！herecomes food at last."Patsy，Beth and Helen bore huge trays containing the principal dishes of the untasted dinner，supplemented with sandwiches and steaming coffee.This last the thoughtful Sing Fing had kept in readiness all the evening，knowing it would be required sooner or later.
Neither Uncle John nor the major was loth to partake of the much—needed refreshment.They even persuaded Arthur to take a cup of coffee.It was noticeable that now，wheneverbaby Jane was mentioned，they spoke her name in hushedwhispers；yet no one could get away，for long，from the one enthralling subject of the little one's mysterious disappearance.
"What can we do now ？"asked Arthur pleadingly."I feelguilty to be sitting here in comfort while my darling may be suffering privations，or—or—""Really，there is nothing more to be done，just now，"said Patsy，interrupting him before he could mention any otherharrowinga fears."You have all done everything that mortals could do，for to—night，and in the morning we will resume the search along other lines.In my opinion you all ought to get to bed and try to rest，for to—morrow there will be a lot for you to do.""What？"asked Arthur helplessly.
"Well，I think you ought to telegraph for detectives.If ever a mystery existed，here is one，and only a clever detective could know how to tackle such a problem.""Also，"added Beth，"you ought to telegraph to everyplace in California，ordering the arrest of the fugitives.""I've done that already.""Can't anyone think of a reason for the disappearance of these three persons—the baby and her two nurses？"inquired Mrs.Hahn earnestly."It seems to me that if we knew what object they could have in disappearing，we would be able to guess where they've gone."Then the pretty little woman blushed at her temerityb in making such a long speech.But the doctor supported her.
"Now that，"said he，"strikes me as a sensible proposition.
Give us the reason，some of you who know."But no one knew a reason.