In a great many respects, the case resembled that of Mr. Dyson, of Maida Vale, who, it may be remembered, was lured away from home by a bogus message, and compelled to perform an operation on a man who had nothing wrong with him. And it was, no doubt, the recollection of the brilliant triumph which Sexton Blake had achieved in Dr. Dyson's case which led Mrs. Banham, when all the efforts of the local police had failed to solve the mystery of her husband's disappearance, to wire for Sexton Blake.