The Washington times., 1915-06-20


alone.
This is some disappointment the
fformer remarked. gloomily.
1T is a disappointment" Quest said,
.tslowly, (which may clear the way to
bigger things
whats in your mind nowT" French
inquired.
Quest shook his head.
"A turmoil. First Of all. where is
nPthe professor"
10 Must have scooted right away home"
HrFrench suggested. He was looking
v1pretty sick all the time. Guess 1t must
-ohave been a powerful shock for him.
and he isn't so young as he used to
be-"
:, Give me that paper Of Craigs again.
ecQuest asked stretching out his hand.
~ The inspector produced the document
n from his inner pocket and uest, stretch
wing 1t out upon his knee, read 1t word
Never to communicate or to have
sIanything to do with anyone of the name
of Ashleigh, chr he remarked, as he
-thanded 1t back again, Rather a queer
- I've been thinking that myself" the
"a ,sinspector admitted. Seems to be
rather reversing the positions. doesn't
= 9Ssst % glanced e at the the clock adv
,sspector. we'll.be getting along,".,
4; "Where to?" French demanded"
Quest looked for a moment surprised.
,TJust then Lenora entered the room;
- Are you going out?" she asked
Quest
THE inspector and are going to have
look for that black box" he told
8 won't you want me?"
He shook his head.
II think you girls have ave, had rad, as Is, much much
s.ness," he declared grimiy:,
ri But it's all over now" Lenora pro-
to FreneS to fooS oil him. and
" I'm not so sure" he said. III IN
ei'Phone If we want you. Lenora. We
b.. The two men drove to the outskirts of
the. city almost in silence. The profess
.,sor's house seemed more than ever
e3;door. They entered without ringing and
,crossed the hall towards the library.
s.On the threshold Quest paused and
stepping quickly forward. Gomez
He threw open the door, The room
was empty, yet both Quest and French
s.that 1t had been occupied within the
.-last few seconds. French even shook
out the curtains and swung open the
T.. doors Of a bureau. There was no
dence as to how they could have left
:: Queer. but it seemed to me I heard
some one" French muttered
:, IT was sure Of it," Quest replied.
shaking the curtain at the back af the
They stood still for a. moment and
listened. The silence in the empty
house was almost unnatural Quest
turned away with shrug of the
"At any rate" he said. "craig's dying
thoughts must have been truthful
:. He led the way to the fireplace. went
down on his knees and passed his
hands over the bricks. The third one
penknife he loosened the mortar a
little and drew 1t out easily. The back
was open. Inside was the black box.
tered. hoarsely. Bring 1t to the light,
quick"
They were Unconditional men. but the
moment was supreme. The key to the
amystery Of these tragical weeks was
there In their hands! Their eyes almost
,devoured those few hastily scrawled
= words buried with so much care:
See page 62. January number. Ameri-
can Medical Journal. 1905
They looked at one another. They, re-
'peated vaguely this mos. commonplace
of messages. AS the final result OF
their strenuous enterprise. these cryptic
words seemed ptifully inadequate.
Quests face darkened He crumpled
the paper in his fingers.
There must be some meaning in
'Sths." he muttered. 1T can't be alto
gether a FOOLS game We're on. Wait"
He moved toward table which usual
q ~ stood against the wall but which had
OBVIOUSLY been dragged out recently
into the middle of the room. It was
icovered with bound volumes. Quest
American Medical Journal, 1905!
French, there's something in this mes
- sage after ALL"
He turned over the pages rapidly.
Then he came to a stop. Page 81 was
t,there; page 81 had been neatly removed
with a pair OF scissors.
fessor's been at work here"
The two men stood looking at one
another across the table. Stranger
..brain of both of them. Then there came
> a startling and in its way dramatic
interlude. Through the empty house
from the front door. shr'll and inslstent
=. Without a moments hesitation. Quest
hurried out and French followed him.
On the doorstep was another surprise
Ienora and Laura were there, the for
mer carrying a small. black-oound
volume.
I'VE Just had to come Look We picked
this. up underneath the chair where
Craig was sitting. 1t must have slipped
from his pocket You see what is \.
Quest took it in his hand.
Say. this ought to be interesting" ="
he remarked. Come along"
They passed into the library. French
fingered behind for a moment and
caught them up tust as they were OPEN
ing the book underneath the electric
lamp
See here what I've found" he ex.
-Claimed "It was Just by the side OF
the wall there. Where's that maSa-
Eine?"
He spread out the piece OF paper-it
ftted exactly into the empty space.
They all read together:
'PNof. Ashleish. after being bitten