Evening star., 1927-03-20

ana II seemed ali Ifle St 1tloN
cause he had found Helen HardWlCh
in II Al one end was a long bench,
covered with bottles. glass jars, tubes
and a queer looking assortment Oh
chemical apparatus. The walls were
lined with rows of tall cabinets with
glass doors, each containing sNeie
ton. and above these was a trleze oi
photographs and %-ray prints III piacK
frames. 80
He wondered how Miss Eiardwlck
happened to be in such strange sur
roundings Her large, long-tashed
eyes avoided him. and her rlght hatio'
cramped about the handle OF tne pls,
tol. wavered a trifle. She had changed
since their last meeting, he noticed:
She had seemed half child and nan
woman then, vivacious young cfea-
ture with a mixture of reckless au-
daCitv. demuTe WiStfulneSS ana aoot'
able Shyness whose heWlldering CON
tradictions had enhanced a loVelineSs
that had gone to the Phantom heau
like foaming wine. In the course on
a few months she had acquired the
subtle and indefinite something that
differentiates girihood from woman
hood. Her face--he had liked to
think of it as rt-shaped-had So
bered a little. and the graceful lines
of chin and throat seemed firmer
Family penCiled shadows at the cor
ners of her lips limited that toucp
of somberness had crept into her MOOD,
but even such a trifitng detail as
few wisps of loosened hair dangling
sportively against her cheeks seemed
TO go a long way toward upSettlng
this effect
DR.. Bimble's thin and rasping voice
startled the Phantom out of his rev.
erie.
MY laboratory, sir" he explained
with comprehensive wave OF the
hand "What you see here is prob
ably the most remarkable collection
of it's kind in the world. Each of
these skeletons represents distinct
criminal type Here, for instance, are
the bones of Raschenell, the famous
apache They are supposed to be
buried in a cemetery in Paris. but
certain French official for whom l
once did a favor was obliging. In my
private rogues' gallery you see photo
graphs of some of the most notorious
criminals the world has ever known,
and these X-ray pictures illustrate
various pathological conditions usual
ly associated with criminal tenden-
cies. Quite remarkable, you will ad-
nit"
absentIy, as if his mind were occupied
with more pressing matters than the
bones of notorious malefactors.
You may feel perfectly at ease, my
friend" The little doctor, noticing
the Phantom's abstraction, spoke
soothingly. II think ] have already
made it clear that the pursuit and
capture of criminals don't interest
me. Without doubt we shall arrive
at some amicable understanding that
will insure your safety.
'Understand?" echoed the Phantom,
having detected slight but signifi-
cant emphasis on the word.
Yes; why not? You have inter
ested me for some time, Mr.. ~- ahem'
Let me see--I believe your real name
is Cuthbert Vanardy?'
The Phantom nodded.
Making due allowance for the ex-
aggerations Of stupid newspaper writ
ers. / have long recognized that you
are a remarkable individual, Yes, re-
markable. You do not belong to any
of the types mentioned by Prichard,
Pinel and Lombroso, but you are a
type of your own. Naturally you
arouse my scientific curiosity. Moth
ing would please me more than TO
add YOU to my collection.
The Phantom glanced at the grisly
contents of the cabinets. A serio-
comic grin wrinkled his face. Aren't t
YOU a bit hasty, Doctor? / am not
dead yet, you know.
'True-quite true. But a man like
you leads a precarious existence. If
he doesn't break his neck in some
rash adventure, the electric chair is
always menacing possibility. The
chances are that / shall outlive you
by score of years. Promise that
you will give the matter due consid-
Grafton"
The Phantom blinked his eyes. DR..
Bimble seemed amiabie enough, yet
the man was scarcely human. His
whole being was wrapped up in his
science and his entire world was COM
posed of anthropologicas specimens
and fine-spun theories.
"You wish me to make arrange
ments to have my body turned over
to you after my death?'
atPrecisely. Mr.. Vanardy. That is
what my friend and neighbor, Syl-
vanus Gage, did. An inferior person
ality, yet he had his points of interest.
I am obliged to you for Fastening his
demise"
A tremulous gasp sounded in the
room. The Phantom turned, and his
DTQW ClOuucu dS ne HOLIItd titC EA
preston of anguish that had crossed
HeIen's face at the doctors words.
You're mistaken, Bimble," he de-
clared, sharply. II didn't kill Gage
If I had done so, I should scarcely be
here at the present moment"
DR.. Bimble shrugged his shoul-
ders. 1.-The matter is of little conse-
quence, my dear sir. Whether or not
you killed Gage is not of the slightest
interest to me. However" with sig
nificant glance at Vanardy's mud
streaked clothing and begrimed fea-
lures, II am strongly of the opinion
that you did. The only thing that
perplexes me is that you are taking
the trouble to deny it. Did hear you
say that you came here through the
tunnel?'
II did" AS he spoke the two
words, the Phantom felt Helen's eyes
searching his face.
Enough" The anthropologist made
a gesture expressive of finality. Your
admission that you came through the
tunnel is an admission that you killed
Gage. I perceive you do not follow
me. Well. then, the circumstances
of the crime prove conclusively that
II was committed by some one who
was aware Of the existence of the tun-
mel. What the foolish newspapers re-
fer to as astounding and miraculous
is simplicity itself The murderer
entered Cages bedchamber by way of
RESORTS.
CHOOSE A CANADIAN NAT