“Of course it was. His wife came to us in a great state. We did what we could, but I knew all along it would be no good.”

“Why not?”

“Never is⁠—when a man disappears that way.” Japp winked.

“What way?”

“Paris.”

“So Halliday disappeared in Paris?”

“Yes. Went over there on scientific work⁠—so he said. Of course, he’d have to say something like that. But you know what it means when a man disappears over there. Either it’s Apache work, and that’s the end of it⁠—or else it’s voluntary disappearance⁠—and that’s a great deal the commoner of the two, I can tell you. Gay Paree and all that, you know. Sick of home life. Halliday and his wife had had a tiff before he started, which all helps to make it a pretty clear case.”