Fulton County tribune. (Wauseon, Ohio) 1883-1925, 1915-10-01
CHAPTER XVII.

CHAPTER XVII.
The professor reused himself from
what had apparently been very
gloomy reverie.
We'll" he announced, 81 must go
home. II has been very kind of you,
Mr.. Quest, to keep me here for so |
long"
Quest glanced at the clock
Don't hurry, Mr. Ashleigh," he |
said. eve may get some news at any |
moment French has dozen men |
ised to ring me up Immediately he |
hears anything"
The professor sighed.
"A man." he declared, who for
twenty years can deceive his master
as utterly and completely as Craig
has done me, who is capable of such
diabolical outrages, and who, when
capture stares him in the face, is
capable of an escape such as he made
today, is outside the laws of prob
ability. Personally, do not believe
that 1 shall ever again see the face
of my servant, any more than that
you, Quest, will entirely solve the
/ mystery of these murders and the
theft of the Rheinholdt jewels What
can we do against men who have re-
| volving staircases and trolley-loads
] of river pirates waiting for them?
i You may be a scientific criminologist,
Quest, but that fellow Craig is a
scientific criminal, if ever there was
one"
Quest crossed the room towards his
cigar cabinet, and opened it. His little
start was apparent to both of them.
Lenora laid down the bag which she
had just lifted up The professor
leaned forward in his chair.
what is it, Quest?" he demanded.
Quest stretched out his hand and
picked up from the top of the cigars
small black boxi He laid it on the
table.
/ Unless I am very much mistaken" ;"
he said, sit is another communication
from our mysterious friend"
.Impossible!" the professor ex-
claimed hoarsely.
How can he have been here?" Le-
nora cried
Quest removed the lid from the
box and drew out a circular card
Around the outside edge was a very
clever pen and ink sketch of life
buoy, and inside the margin were
several sentences of clear handwrit-
. ing. In the middle was the sigma.
| ture-the clenched hands! Quest
read the message aloud:
, In the great scheme of things, the
Supreme Ruler of the universe d.
vided an Inheritance amongst his
: children. To one he gave power, to
another strength, to another beauty
: but to his favorite he gave cunning
They all looked at one, another
| what does it mean?" Lenora
gasped.
: "a lifebuoy!" the professor mur
r INJURED.
} They both stared at Quest, who re
NAMED silent. chewing hard at the
$ end of his cigar.
/. Every message" he said, speaking
: half to himself, has had some sig
: nificance. What does this mean-s
4 lifebuoy?"
Y He was silent for moment. Ther
he turned suddenly to the professor
k ''What did you call those men in tn;
: motortruck, professor-river pirates
I And lifebuoy! Wait"
n He crossed the room towards hi!
d desk and returned with list in hi'
g hand. He ran his finger down it
Y stopped and glanced at the date.
q "The Durham he muttered, 'cargl
cotton, destination Southampton, sail
v at high tide on the 18th. Lenora, i
8 that calendar right?"
= "It's the 10th, Mr. Quest" she ar
) swered.
Quest crossed the room to the tele
J. phone.
"I want number one, central" h
g said. Thank you! Put me throug
IS to Mr. French's Office. Hello
French! I've got an idea. Can yo
come round here at once and brin
4, an automobile? I want to get dow
IS to the docks-not where the passer
10 ger steamers start from-lower dowI
a Good! Well wait"
r. Quest hung up the receiver.
If ''See here, professor" he continued
a. that fellow wouldn't dare to sen
20 this message if he weren't pretty sur
Ip of getting off. He's made all hi
sr plans beforehand, but it's my belle
Ip we shall just get our hands upon hin
after all.''
e. Presently the heard the automobil
I'd stop outside and French appeared
a, Anything doing?" he asked.
n Quest showed him the card and th
sailing list.
as The inspector glanced at the clocl