The Holly chieftain., 1915-07-16
CHAPTER XVI.

Quest took the dispatch which the
hotel clerk handed to him one after
noon fortnight later, and read 1t
through without change OF express
sion. Lenora, however, who was by
his side, knew at once that 1t con-
tanned something startling.
What is it?" she asked.
He passed his arm through hers and
led her down the hall to where the
professor and Laura were just wait
ing for the lift. He beckoned them
to follow him to corner of the
lounge.
There's one thing quite forgot, a
fortnight ago." he said, slowly, when
/ suggested that we should none of us
look at newspaper until the time we
were in California. Have you kept to
our bargain, professor?"S
Absolutely"
"And you, girls?"
I've never even seen one," Lenora
declared.
Nor L." Laura echoed.
II made a mistake" Quest con-
fessed. Something has happened
which we ought to have known about.
You had better read this message
or, wait. I'll read it aloud:
To Sanford Quest, Garfield Hotel,
San Diego. Injured In wreck Of lin.
tied. Recovered consciousness today.
Craig reported burned in wreck but
think you had better come on.
FRENCH,
Samaritan Hospital, AIlguez.
Say, when can we start?" Laura
exclaimed excitedly.
Quest, who had been studying a
timetable. glanced once more at the
dispatch.
Look here" he said, "Allguez isn't
SO far out of the way If we take the
southern route to New York. Let's
get move on tonight"
Laura led the way to the lift. She
was in state of rare discomposure.
They found French, already conva-
lescent, comfortably installed In the
private ward of a small hospital in the
picturesque New Mexico town. Laura
almost at once established herself by
his side.
Can you remember anything about
the wreck, French?" Quest inquired.
The inspector passed his hand
wearily over his forehead.
ut seems more like dreamer
rather nightmare-than anything"
he admitted. II was sitting opposite
Craig when the crash came. l was
unconscious for time. When came
to. was simply pinned down by the
side of the car. could see a man
working hard to release me, tugging
and straining with all his might. Every
now and then l got glimpse of his
face. 1t seemed queer, but l could
have sworn it was Craig. Then other
people passed by. heard the shrek
of a locomotive. l could see doctor
bending over some bodies. Then II
| all faded away and came back again
The second time l was nearly free
| The man who had been working SO
hard was just smashing the last bit
of timber away, and again saw his
idCe anu ludL tlIue ! was sure tQat II
was Craig. Anyway, he finished the
job. l suddenly felt could move my
limbs. The man stood up as though
exhausted, looked at me, called to the
doctor, and then he seemed to fade
away. 1t might have been because
was unconscious myself, for l dont
remember anything else until found
myself In bed"
1T would indeed" the professor re
marked. "be an interesting circum
stance-an interesting psychological
circumstance, If l might put 1t that
way-if Craig, the arch-criminal. the
man who has seemed to us SO utterly
devoid of all human feeling, should
really have toiled n this manner t.
set free his captor."
Interesting or not" Quest OBJ
served. I'D like to know whether Il
was Craig or not l understand there
were about dozen unrecognizablt
bodies found"
The nurse, who had left the room
| for a few minutes, returned with {