The Mother Hunt (Rex Stout Library)

When I briefed him Thursday evening I had given him the whole picture. With him we nearly always do. He took half a minute to look at this addition to it. The clothes could be explained, he said, but the crib settles it.

Yeah. My mouth was full.

So the baby was there and she knows the answer. She may not know who the mother is, but she knows enough. How tough is she?

She's the kind that might surprise you. I think she would clam up. If she came and found me there I was going to tackle her, but now I don't know. Your guess is as good as mine. Probably the best bet is to cover her for at least a couple of days.

Then we shouldn't be sitting here in my car. She knows your car, doesn't she?

I nodded and took a swig of milk. Okay. I put the milk and the rest of the sandwich in the carton. I'll go and finish this little snack, which is saving my life, in the Heron. Stick your car in the woods and then join me. If she comes before I leave you can duck. I'll go home and report. If he decides on the cover, either Fred or Orrie will be here by nine o'clock. You decide how you want him to make contact and tell me. If he decides he wants her brought in so he can tackle her himself, I'll come instead of Fred or Orrie, and I may need your help.

I climbed out, with the carton. Saul asked, If she comes before I join you?

Stay with your car. I'll find it. I started up the road.

Saul Panzer and Fred Durkin and Orrie Cather, in shifts, had Ellen Tenzer's house, or the approach to it, under surveillance for twenty hours Saul from three p.m. to nine p.m. Friday, Fred from nine p.m. Friday to six a.m. Saturday, and Orrie from six a.m. to eleven a.m. Saturday. And nobody came.

When Wolfe came down to the office at eleven o'clock Saturday morning, a glance at my face answered his question before he asked it. I had no news. In his hand, as always, were the orchids he had picked for the honor of a day in the office. He put them in the vase on his desk, got his bulk adjusted in his chair, and went through the morning mail which I had opened. Finding nothing interesting or useful in it, be shoved it aside and frowned at me.

Confound it, he growled, that woman has skedaddled. Hasn't she?

I got a quarter from my pocket, tossed it onto my desk, and looked at it. Heads, I said. No.

Pfui. I want an opinion.