"All the girls bought themselves bicycles; the feminine cycling craze was
still in existence, and Crispina had rigidly vetoed any participation in
it among the members of her household. The youngest boy let himself go
to such an extent during his next term that it had to be his last as far
as that particular establishment was concerned. The elder boys
propounded a theory that their mother might be wandering somewhere
abroad, and searched for her assiduously, chiefly, it must be admitted,
in a class of Montmartre resort where it was extremely improbable that
she would be found."
"And all this while couldn't your uncle get hold of the least clue?"
"As a matter of fact he had received some information, though of course I
did not know of it at the time. He got a message one day telling him
that his wife had been kidnapped and smuggled out of the country; she was
said to be hidden away, in one of the islands off the coast of Norway I
think it was, in comfortable surroundings and well cared for. And with
the information came a demand for money; a lump sum of 2000 pounds was to
be paid yearly. Failing this she would be immediately restored to her
family.
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