The Brookings register. [volume] (Brookings, Brookings County, S.D.) 1903-1971, 1915-07-15
FIFTEENTH lNSTALLMENT
CHAPTER XXXV.

The first shock was over. Craig's
body had been removed, and the girls
had taken Mary, half stunned with
grief, to their room. French and
Quest were left alone.
THAT is some disappointment"
the former remarked, gloomily.
ut is a disappointment" Quest
said, slowly, which may clear the
way to bigger things"
whats in your mind now?" French
inquired.
Quest shook his head.
"a turmoil. First Of all, where is
the professor"
Must have scooted right away
home" French suggested. He was
looking pretty sick all the time. Guess
it must have been a powerful shock
for him, and he isn't so young as he
used to be-"
Give me that paper Of Craig's
again" Quest asked
The inspector produced the docu-
ment from his inner pocket, and
Quest, stretching it out upon his knee,
read 1t word for word.
"Never to communicate or to have
anything to do with anyone of the
name of Ashleigh, eh?' he remarked,
as he handed it back again. Rather
a queer provision, that, French"
give been thinking that myself" the
inspector admitted.
Quest glanced at the clock.
well" he said, eff you're ready,
inspector, we'll be getting along"
The two men drove to the outskirts
of the city almost in silence. The
professors house seemed more than
eve deserted as they drew up at the
front door. They entered without
ringing and crossed the hall towards
the library. On the threshold Quest
paused and held up his finger.
Someone is in there" he whispered,
stepping quickly forward. Gomez"
He threw open the door. The room
was empty, yet both Quest and French
were conscious of a curious convic-
ton that it had been occupied with
in the last few seconds.
.%uCCIy UuI IL ScCluCQ " uc i ucdIu
someone" French muttered.
81 vas sure Of it," Quest replied.
They stood still for a moment and
listened. The silence in the empty
house was almost unnatural. Quest
turned away with a shrug of the
shoulders.
"At any rate" he said, "Craig's dy-
ing thoughts must have been truth
full. Come"
He led the way to the fireplace,
went down on his knees and passed
his hands over the bricks. The third
one he touched, shook. He tapped
it-without a doubt 1t was hollow.
With his penknife he loosened the
mortar a little and drew it out easily.
The back was open. Inside was the
black box.
"Craig's secret at last" French
muttered, hoarsely. Bring it to the
light, quick!"
They were Unconditional men, but the
moment was supreme. The key to
the mystery 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 81, January Number,
American Medical Journal, 1905.
They looked at one another. They
repeated vaguely this most common
place of messages. AS the final result
of their strenuous enternrise. thase
cryptic words seemed pitifully made.
quate. Quests face darkened. He
crumpled the paper in his fingers.
There must be some meaning in
this" he muttered. 1T can't be alto
gether a fools game we're on. Wait"
He moved towards a table which
usually stood against the wall, but
which had obviously been dragged
out recently into the middle Of the
room. 1t was covered with bound
volumes. Quest glanced at one and
exclaimed softly:
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 there; page 81 had been neatly
removed with a pair Of scissors.
"The professor" he cried. THE
professors been at work here!"
The two men stood looking at one
another across the table. Strange