The Guthrie daily leader. [volume] (Guthrie, Okla.) 1893-1996, 1915-05-08
SEVENTH lNSTALLMENT
THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY.
CHAPTER XVI,

ference was proceeding in Quests
study The professor was there, seat
ed in the most comfortable easy
chair, smoking without relish one Of
his hosts best cigars, watching with
nervous impatience the closed door.
Laura and Lenora were seated at the
table, dressed for the street. They
had the air Of Being prepared for
some excursion. Quest, realizing the
professors highly strung state, had
left him alone for a few moments
and was studying map Of New York.
The latter, however. was too i'll at
ease to keep silent for long
Our friend French, he remarked.
gave you no clue, suppose. as to the
direction in which his investigations
are leading him."
Quest glanced up from the map.
None at all. know, however. that
the house in which Lenora here was
confined is being watched closely"
The professor glanced across to.
ward the table before which Lenora
was seated
1T seems strange" he continued.
that the young lady should have so
little to tell us about her incarcera-
ton
Lenora shivered for a moment.
"What could there be to tell,7 she
asked, except that il was all horrible,
and that felt things-felt dangers
which ! couldn't describe
The professor gave vent to an irar
patient little exclamation.
Il am not speaking for fancies," he
persisted. "You had food brought to
you, for instance Could you never
see the hand which placed ii inside
your room? Could you hear nothing
of the footsteps Of the person who
brought It? Could you not even sur
mise whether It. we're a man or a |
woman?"
Lenora answered him with an evi- |
dent effort. She had barely, as yet, !
recovered from The shock OF those |
awful hours.
+The person who brought me the
food she said, "came at night-never |
in the daytime l never heard any
thing. The most ] ever saw was once
II happened TO be looking toward I
the door and saw a pair of hands
nothing more-setting down q tray.
shrieked and called out think that
| almost tainted When / found cour-
age enough TO look, there was nothing
there but the tray upon the floor"
The professor sighed as be turned
away.
1T is evident, I am afraid" he said,
that Miss Lenora's evidence will help
no one. AS an expert in these affairs,
Mr. Quest. does it lot seem to you
that her imprisonment was just a lit
tie purposeless? There seems to have
been no attempt 10 harm her in any
way"
Whoever took the risk Of abduct-
ing her" Quest pointed ont grimly,
did It for a purpose That purpose
would probably have been devel-
oped in course OF time. However we
look at II, Mr. Ashleigh, there was
only one man who must have been
anxious to get her out OF the way, and
that man was Craig. Here comes our
friend French. ] have an idea that he
has something TO tell us"
They glanced expectantly towards
the door as French entered. The in
Hpector, who was looking very spruce
and woIl brushed, wished them a gen. E
ersl good-morning His eyes rested
last and longest upon Laura, who
seemed. however. unconscious Of his
presence
Now. then. French" Quest began.
ls be returned his greeting. take a
,igar, make yourself comfortable in
hat chair and let US have your news.
Is you see. we have obeyed orders
We are al ready to follow you any
where
III won't be TO the end Of the world. {
nyway, the inspector remarked. as
e u his cigar. I am going to pro-
ose a little excursion down Gayson J
venue way
Back 10 that house?" LenoFa ex-
laimed with a grimace
The inspector nodded.
I'VE have had those boys at the
,ApRR WANTS BRINGS RESULTS l.