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Hie BLA< Bjr l PHILLIP ?cfAor ti "TU Moving Fing*r. ,T"Tho Print* of Sinnt/t," "Atme, tim jtifaoifLU ii?. ** ssc. Novell* .troc s Mtnuisi tograpk .tcopynght. ?Uk THIRD INSTALLMENT SYNOPSIS. In ber apartment at ?be Leland 131*. daughter of Lord A sh leish, la murdered and the Ashleigh dlamind necklace sto len. Tbe New York pollca place the case In the hands or Burford Quest, known and feared as the master criminologist of tba world. He takes Lenora. Ella's maid, to his own apartments and through hyno tUm and the use of electro-telepathic ap pliances discovers her connection with the crime, recovers the diamonds and arrests tbe murderer, Macdougal. Lenora's hus band, thoue-h nearly trapped to his death tn a tough tenement house while engaged ID the work. Lenora becomes one ot Quest's assistants. The detective ls catted in to investigate the theft of the skeleton of an ape. of Lord Ashleigh. Macdougal escapes while on bis way to prison. A .trias; ot diamonds ts mysteriously stolen from Mrs. Rheinholdt during a reception. THE POCKET WIRELESS. * CHAPTER VIII. Mr, Sanford Quest sat in bis favorite chair, bia cigar Inclined toward tba left-hand corner of his mouth, his at tention riveted upon a small Instru ment which he waa supporting upon bis knee. He glanced across the room to where Lenora was bending over" har desk. "We've done lt this time, young woman," he declared triumphantly.' "It's all O. K., working like a little peach." Lenora ross and came toward him. Is that the pocket wireless?" . He nodded. Tve had Morrison out at Harlem' all the morning to test it," be toid her.. "Tve sent him at least half a dosen messages, from this essy chair, and got the replies. How are yon get ting on with the cod??" "Not eo badly for a stupid person," Lenora replied. Laura, who had hean busy with soma papers at the farther end ot the* room, cams over and. Joined them. "Bay, it's a dandy little affair, that, Mr. Quest," she exclaimed. "I had a try with it, a day or so ago. Jim spoke tame fromwjjfth..?venue.". "We've got it tuned to a shade now," Quest declared. "Equipped with this simple little device, you csn speak to me from anywhere up to ton ora doten miles." Quest rose to his feet and moved restlessly about the room. . "Say, girls." he confessed, "thia is the first time in my Ute I have been in a fix like thia Two cases on hand and nothing doing with either ot them. Criminologist, indeed I ?. Whose box is thia?" Quest had paused suddenly in front of aa oak sideboard which 'stood against the wall. Occupying a posi tion upon it of some prominence wsa a small Mach box, whoas presence there seemed to him unfamiliar. Laura came over to hts std? and looked at lt also In puzzled fashion. "Never saw it before in my life.' she answered. Quest grunted. "H'm! No ona elsa has been in tbs room, and lt hasn't been empty for moro than ten minutes," hs re marked. "Well, let'a see west's Inside, soy way." ? He lifted cd the lld. There was nothing in the interior but, a sheet of paper folded up. Quest smoothed fi ont with his hand. They alt leaned over and read the fellowing words, written In en obviously disguised hand: You have embarked on a new . study anthropology. What characteristic strikes you most forcibly In connection with UT Cunning? The necklace might be where the skeleton ls. Why not begin at the be aconing? The note waa unsigned, but in the spot where a signature might hara been there waa a rough pen drawing of two bends, with fingers extended, talon fashion, menacingly, aa though poised to strike at some nrseen en emy. Quest, after their first moment of stupefaction, whistled softly. "The hands!" he muttered. "What bands?" Lenora asked. "The nanda that gripped Mrs. Rhein holdt by the throat." be reminded them. "Don't yon remember? Hands without anas?" There was another brief, almost sta? psfled alienee. Then Laura broke Into speech. "Whs". J want to know ia," she de manded, "who brought tba thing here?" "A most daring exploit, anyway," Qu eat decisrsd. "It we could answer your question. Laura, we could solve the whole riddle. We ara up against something, i.jd no mistake.' "The hand which placed that box thef?K*^pSet continued Slowly, "ls capable et aren more wonderful things. We must ha cautious. Hatto!" The door bad opened. Tbe profes sor stood upon the threshold. "I troat that I itave dene right Se censtng np?" he Inquired. "Quite right, ortr^ssov,' Quest aa sured him. "They know weil enough downetairr* that I ara ?.'.ways at Lcuto to yeo. Con? in." "I an so auston* to learn." the im> S OPPENHEIM ed from the motion picture drama of the une produced by thc Universal Film rturing Company. Illuitrated with pho t from tba roorJoa picture production. lu wi. -mm by Otts F. Woodo . . . . ~ ^ there la any news-of my skele ton." "Not yet. profeaaor, I am sorry to say," Qusat replied.."Come in and shut the door." "There is a young lady here," hs said, "who caught me np upon the landing. She, too. I believe, wishes to see you." He threw open the -door and stood on one aide. A young woman came a little hesitatingly into the room. Her hair waa plainly bruahed back, and ahe wore the severe dreaa of the Sal vation Army. "Want to see me, young lady?" Quest asked. She held out a book. "My name ls Miss Qulgg," she said. ii,- want to ask you for a subscrip tion to our funds," Quest frowned a little. "Very well, Miss Qulgg, you shall have a donation. I am buay today, but call at the same hour tomorrow and roy secretary shs", have a check ready ?or you." The girl smiled her gratitude. The profeaaor laid hla hand upon her arm aa abe passsd. - "Young lady." be observed, "you seem very much in earnest about your work." "It ls only the people in earnest, sir.'* she answered, "who can do any .good tn the world. My work is worth being In earnest about" , "You compel my admiration. My most respectful admiration. May I. too. be permitted?" He drew out a pocketbook and passed over toward her a little wad of notes. "It is so kind of you," she mur mured. "We never have any. hesita tion in accepting money. May I know your namer* "It la not necessary,'* the professor answered. "You can enter me," he added, ai he held open the door for her, "aa a friend-or would you prefer a pseudonym?" J "A pseudonym, If you please." she begged. "We have so many who send us suma of money as friends. Any thing will do." The professor glanced around the .roon*. "What paeudonym sbsll I adopt?" he ruminated. "Shall I say that an oak sideboard gives you five hundred dol lars Or a Chippendale sofa? Or." be added, his eyes resting for a mo ment upon the little box, . "a black box?** I \; The two girls from the other side of the table started. Even Quest swung suddenly around. The professor, aa though pleaaed with his fancy, nodded i ss his Angers plsyed with the lid. "Yea, that will do very nicely,** he decided. "Put me down-'Black Box,* five hundred dollars.** The girl took out her hook sud be gan to write. The professor, with a little farewell bow, crossed the room toward Quest Lenora moved toward the door. "Let me ase you out," sho said to the girl pleasantly. ; Lenora opened the door. Both girls started. Only a few feet away Craig wah standing, bis head a little thrust forward. For a moment the quiet self respect of his manner seemed io have deserted him. He seemed at a lass for words. "What do you want?" Lenora de . m anded. "1 was waiting for my. master," Craig explained. 1 "Why not downstairs?" Lenora asked suspiciously. "You did not come ,up with him." "I sm driving tho professor in his i automobile,** Craig explained. "It oc curred to mo that if he were going to be long hers I should have time to go {and order another tire. It ls of no : consequence, though. I will go down :and wait in the car." i Lenora stood at the top of the stairs ? k .d watched him disappear. Then she . went thoughtfully back to her work, i The profesar and Quest were talking .at the farther end ci the room, "I was in hopes, in gveat hopes," the ; professor admitted, "that yon might . have heard something. I promised to call at M ra. Rheinholdt's this after .noon." Ouest BhookJhis head. ' "There tufting to report at pres ent. Mr. AswlaV* he announced. "Dear roe," the professor murmured, ?'thu ts very disappointing. Ja thara do cine. Mr. Quast- nd due at an?" "Not a ghost of ene," Quest acknowl edged. "I am ak .tar off solving the myatery of tb? disappearance of your skeleton and Mrs. Rheinholdt's neck lace as I have a rcr been " i Tho professor took o courteous leave of them all and departed. I .euora crested the room to where Quest was seated. "Mr. Quest,," ?ho asked, "do yon be lieve in inspiration?" "1 attribute a lt-ge amount, of m? . .iuccr.au." Quest replied, "to my pro round UMef in it.1 j "Then let aW/iwjma," Lenora con -j thiue4>' *'?*** I hav%'dn*> and a very J etroag ona. De you know that when I ? :*?*t to tin? .*)or ? ?ew minutos ?g? tb? professor's serrant. Craie, wai there, listening T" 'Inspector French baa had his men j watching Craig ever since the night of j the robbery." quietly remarked Quest. "What's that? Answer the telephone, Lenora/' Lenora obeyed. "lt's Inspector French," she an nounced. "He wanta to speak to1 yon." Que-rt nodded and held out his band for the receiver. "Hello, French!" he exclaimed. "Anything fresh?" "Nothing much," was the answer. "One of my men, though, who baa] been up Mayton avenue way, brought in something I found rather Interest ing thia morning. I want you to come round and tee it." "Go right ahead and tell me about | lt," Quest Invited. "You know we've been shadowing Craig," the inspector continued. "Nob much luck up till now. Fellow seems never to leave -his master's side. We have had a couple of men up there, though, and one of them brought in a curious-looking object be picked tip lust outside the hack OT tbe professor's 1 grounds." "What is tho thing?" Quest asked. "Well, I want you to see whether ] you agree with mo." French went on. "If you can't come round. I'll come to. you.". "No necessity," Queet replied, j "We've got oyer little dlillcultles of that sort. Laura, JuBt tack on the j phototelesme," he added, holding the receiver away for ? moment. "One moment, French. Thern that's right," he added, aa Laura, with deft fingers arranged what seemed to bo a sensitized mirror to tho Instru ment. "Now, French, hold up the article just in front of the re ceiver. There; that's right. Hold it steady. I've got the focus of it| now. Say, French, where did you say that was found?" "Just outside the professor's back, gate," French grunted. "But you'ro not kidding mc-" "It's a finger from the professor's skeleton you've got there," Quest in terrupted. Quest hung up the receiver. Tuen he turned toward his two assistants. "Another finger from the protea I sor's skeleton," he announced, "bas | been found just outside his grounds. What do you suppose that _,>eans?" "Craig," Lenora declared conti-1 dently. "Craig on your life." Laura echoed. "Say, Mr. Quest, i've got an idea." . Quest nodded. "Go right ahead with IL" "Didn't tbe butler at Mrs. Rhein holdt's say that Craig belonged to a serven*.'. club up town? I know the place well. Let me goi and see if-J can't join and pick up a little Informa tion about the man. He must have a I night out sometimes. Let's-find out| what he does? How's that?" - "Capital ! "- Quest agreed. "Get along, Laura. And you. Lenora," he added, "put on your hat We'll take a ride towards Mayton avenue." CHAPTER IX. Tho exact spot where the bones of the missing skeleton was discovered, was easily located. lt was about twenty yards from a gato which lcd into the back part of the professor's grounds. Quest wasted very little time before arrivln? at a decision. "The discovery of the bones so near the profeasoi's home," he decid ed, "cannot be coincidence only. We will waste no tk.io out here, Lenora. We will search the grounds. Come on." It was hard to know which way to I turn. Every path vas choked with .tangled weeds and bushes. They wan-f S?B^LIIIS^LHIWBSBIMMBSH& In Front of Them Crouchad an On? receunleabta Creature. dared about almost aimlessly for near ly bair an bovr. Then, Quest came to a sudden standstill, lenora gripped his ar?. They had both heard tbs same sound-a queer, crooning cry, half plaintive, half angry. "What's that?" bto exclaimed. ? Le?era atttl clung to his arm. T hate thia place." she whispered. "It terrifies nie. > What are we lock ing for, Mr. Quest?" "Can't cay that I know exactly." the tatter answered, "but 1 guess well find out where that err same from. Sounded to vae uncommonly, like a hu 'jnan ?Sort" ?fcejr had ma<Se their war ?P aa ..You Don't-You Donl far an the hedge, which they skirted for a few yarda until they found on opening. Then Quest gave vent to a little exclamation. Immediately in front of them was a email hut, built apparently of sticks and bamboos, with a stronger framework behind. The eloping roof was grass-grown and entwined with rushea. The only apol ogy for a window waa a queer little hole set quite close to the roof. There was a ruue-looklng door, but Quest, on trying it, found lt locked. They walked around thu place, but found no other opening.. All the time from inside they could hear queer scuffling Bounds. Lenora's cheeka grew paler. "Must we stay?" abo murmured. **I don't think I want to see whut's in side, uri;-. Quest! Mr. Quest!" She clung to bis arm. They were opposite the little aperture which, served aa a window, nnd at that mo ment lt suddenly frunied the face of a creature, human la features, diaboli cal In expression. "Say, tbat's some face!" ha re marked. "I'd hate to spoil lt" - Even as ho spoke it disappeared. "We've got to get Inside there. Lenora," bo announced, stepping for? ward. She followed him silently. A few turna of the wrist and the door yield ed. Keeping Lenora a little behind him. Quest gazed around eagerly. Ex*, actly in front of him, clad only In a loin cloth, with hunched-up shoulders, a necklace around ita neck, with blaz ing eyes and ugly, gleaming teeth, crouched . some unrecognizable crea ture, human, yet Inhuman, a- monkey, and yet a man. There were a couple of monkeys awlnging by their talla from a bar, and a leopard chained to a staple in the ground, walking round and round in the f*r corner, anapplng and snarling, every time . he glanced towards the .newcom ers. The creature in front ot him stretched out a hairy hand towards a club, and gripped lt Quest drew a long breath. HU eyes were set hard. "Drop that club." he ordered. Tho creature auddenly sprang up. The club was waved around his head. "Drop it." Quest repeated firmly. "You will ait down in your corner. You will sleep." . The club slipped from the hairy fin gers. The tense frame, which had been already crouched for the spring, waa suddenly relaxed. The knees trembled. . "Back to that corner," Quest or dered, pointing. Slowly and dejectedly, the ape-man crept to whore he had been ordered and sat there with dull, non-compre hending stare. It waa a. hew force, this, a note of which he bad felt-tba superman raising the voice of author ity. Quest touched bis forehead and found it damp. The strain of those few seconda had been Intolerable. "I don't think these other animals will hurt." he said. "Let's have a look around the place.** The search took only a few mo ments. The monkeys ran and Jumped around them, gibbering ss though with pleasure. The leopard watched them always with a snarl and an evil light in his dye. They found nothing unusual until they came to the dhstant corner, where a huge plano box lay cn Its side with the opening terned to the Wall. "This ts where tba brute sleeps, I suppose," Quest remarked. "WeH turn it around, anyway.** They dragged lt a few feet away from the wall, so that the opening faced them. Then Lenora gave a little cry and Quest stood auddenly' etui. "The ftke?eton!" Lenora shrieked. "Wu thc skeleton!" It waa a skeleton so old that the bones had turned a dull gray. Quest glanced tc yards the hands. "Little unger* both missing." he muttered. "Remember the message?" abo ex claimed. Where tho skeleton ia, tba neckisch may be also." / Quest nodded shortly. "Welt search." They Urned over everything in the pince fruitlessly. There was no sign ot tho necklace. "You get ou*side. Lenora." Queot di rected. 'Tit ju ct bring tliia beast round again and than well tackle tht professor." Quest turned totr&rds thc creature, which crouched ctlll huddled up in tic corner. "Lock at me." he ordered. Tht; creature obeyed. Opee moro Ita frame seemed to gro*r moro vu lie atrd natural. - I t Suspect Me of Thief" "You need sleep no longer," Quest said. "Wake up and be yourself.". The effect of theae wc tia was In stantaneous. Almost as he spoke, th? creature crouched for a spring. There was wild hatred In ita close-set eyes, the snarl of something nenullke In its contorted mouth. Quest clipped quick* ly through the door. "Anyone may have that for a pet!" he remarked grimly. "Come, Lenora, there's a word or two to be said to the professor. There's something here will need a little explanation." He lit a clear as they struggled back along the path. Presently they reached the untldy-looklng avenue, and a few minutes later arrived at the house. Quest searched in vaia for a bell. They walked round the piazza. There were no signs of any human life. They came back to the front door. Quest tried the handle and found lt open. They passed into the hall. "Hospitable sort of place, anyway," be remarked. "We'll go in and wait. Lenora." They found their way to the study, which seemed to be the only habitable room. Lenora glanced around at Ita strange contents with an expression al* most of awe. A small motor car passed the win dow, driven by Craig. The professor descended! A moment or two lattr be entered the room. Hs gased from Quest to Lenora tte first in blank sur prise. Then he held out his bands. "You hare good news for me, my friends 1" hs exclaimed. "1 am sure of IL. How unfortunate that I was not at home to receive you! Tell me--don't I keep me in nuspense, if yon please you hs va discovered my skeleton?" - "We have found tho skeleton," Quest announced. For a single moment the newcomer stood as though turned to atone. "My skeleton!" he murmured. "Mr. Quest, I knew lt. You are the great* est man alive. Now tell me quickly I want to know everything, but this first of all. Where did yon find the skeleton? Who was the thief?" "We found the skeleton, professor," Quest replied, "within a hundred yards of thU house." The professor's mouth s is wide open. He !ooked like a bewildered child. It waa several seoows before he spoke. "Within a hundred yards of this house? Then lt wasn't stolen by ona of my rivals?" "I should say not," Quest admitted. "Where? exactly did you find it?" tho professor insisted. "I found it in a hut," Quest said, "biddon in a plano box. I found there, also, a creatu s-a human being, ' I must call him-in a state of cap tivity," "Hidden in a plano box?" the pro fessor repeated wonderingly. "Why, you mean in Kartoo* sleeping box. then?" "If Mr. Hartoo is the gentleman who tried to club me, you are right," Quest admitted. "Mr. Ashleigh, before we go any further I must ask you for an explanation aa .to the presence of that person tn your grounds?" Tho professor hesitated for a mo ment. Then he slowly crossed the room, opened the drawer of a small escritoire and drew out a letter. "You have heard of Slr William Ray s more, the president ot ?he Royal society?" he asked. Quest nodded. "This letter la from him." the pro fessor continued. "You had better read lt" The criminologist read lt aloud. Le nora looked over bis shoulder: To Pro,'. Sdfar A?hl*lgh, New Tort*. My Dear Professor: Your commuotrn t lon tra U nea and amases mt, I can nay no more. It fell to your lot to discover the skeleton of the anthropoid, a marvel ous thins In If; way, and needing only Ita corollary to corm the greatest discov ery since tb? dark Sens. Now you tell rae that In the person 1 Hartoo, tho last of the Inynmo rac* of South America, you . have found that corollary. You have sup plied the missing link. iou are In a po sition to vive to the world a definite ?nd logical explanation of the evolution of maa Let tn? give you one word ot tr urn las-, professor, before 1 writ* rea at treater le nert h on the matter. Ambro* I h) locista aro afflicted moro. even, tl tar, any other ran. of scientific men, with Jealousy. Guard your secret mst!, lest th? honor of this discovery should be stolen fr?iTi you. WILLIAM RATHMORE. I Tho prof er cor nodded deliberate/': aa Quest finished the letter. "Now, p maps you can understand," ha said, "why lt was necessary to koop Hartoo absolutely bidden. In a month's time my papr.'w will be ready. ? Thon I shall electrify the world. I I shall write not a new nage but. a new j volume across the history of science, j I suall-" ? The door waa suddenly i.ux>wn open. Craig sprang la, no longer the eeh contalned, perfect man-servaut, but ?with the face of some wild creature. His shout waa one almost of agony. "The but, professor! The hut ls on fire!" he cried. Hie appearance on the threshold waa like a flesh. They heard hts fly ing feet down the hall, and without a moment's hesitation they all fol lowed. The profeaaor led the way down a narrow and concealed path, but when they reached the little clear ing in which the but waa altuated, they were unable to approach any nearer. The place waa a whirlwind ot flame. The smell of kerosene waa almost overpowering. The wild yeti of the leopard rose above the strange, half-human gibbering of the monkeys and the hoarse, basa calling of anoth er voice, at the sound of which Le nora and even Quest shuddered. Then, as they came, breathless, to a atand atlll, they aaw a strange thing. One side of the hut fell In, and almost Im mediately the leopard with a mighty spring, le ^ed from the place and ran howling Into the undergrowth. The monkeys followed but - they came straight for tbe professor, wringing their hands. They fawned at his feet as though trying to show bim their scorched bodies. Then for a slugle moment they ?aw the form of the ape man aa he struggled to follow tho others. His strength failed bim. how ever. He fell b-.i'twarda Into the burn ing chasm. The professor bade them farewell, an hour later, on the steps ot the house. He seemed suddenly to have aged. "You have done your best. Mr. Quest," he said, "but fate bas been too .strong. Remember this, though. It ls quita true that the cunning ot Har .too may have made lt possible for him to have stolen the skeleton and to havo brought lt back to tts hiding place, but lt was Jealousy-cruel, bru tal, foal Jealousy whlcU smeared the walls of that hut with kerosene and set light to it The work ot a life time, my dreams ot scientific immor tality, have vanished in those flumes." He turned slowly away from them and reentered the house. Quest and Lenora msde their way down the ave nue and entered the automobile which waa waiting for them, almost in al* lenee. Tho latter glanced toward bis companion, as they drove off. "Say. this bas been a blt tough for you," be remarked. I'll have to call somewhere and get you a glass of wine." Sha tried to smile but her strength was almost gone. They drove to a restaurant and sat there for some lit tle tim?. Lenora soon recovered har color. She even bad courage to speak of the events of the afternoon whoa ! they re-entered the automobile. "Mr. Quast," Lenora murmured, "who do you suppose burned the hut downf IC I dont say Craig, I suppose yon will," be remarked. "I wonder wheth er Laura's had any luck." They were greeted, aa they entered Quest's r\ < <a, by a familiar little tick ing. Qusst smiled with pleasure. "It's the pocket wireless," he de clared. "Let ms take down the mes sage." Ha spoiled it out to Lenora, who stood t y his side: Have Joined Servante" c'ub disguised as ?our butler. Craig frequent vial tor hara in yean seo, come? now occasion ally. Thursday evenings moat likely time. Shall walt bera oa chanca of Seeing him. "Good girt, that," Quest remarked. "She's a rare sticker, too." He turned % away from the instru ment and was crossing the room to ward his clgsr cabinet. Suddenly he stopped. He looked intently towards thp sideboard. "What is lt?" Lenora asked. He did not answer. She followed the direction of bis gave. Exactly tn tua same spot ss before reposed aa* ? Bli ? MB ni lt Waa, Mfa Rheinholdt's Necklace. other hut somewhat larger Mack box, bf the same shape and material as tba j previous Ons. "Say, who pot that there?" ab de? I randed. Loaora shook her hoad. "I locked the door when wo went ont," she assured him. Quest took the box into his hands and removed tba lid. It seemed half full ot cotton-wool. On ?he top were a few lines ot writing and. beneath them tho signature of the parted hands. He read th? form out slowly: brop ott Investigation. Th? hand* that return tfces* Jewel? command it. Quest raised the cotton-wool Be neath lay Mrs. Rheinholdt's Rocklee?I . rt ff2! aa COg ??S 01 ? t Qi CP o x ft f3 bul >H fri ?iL 2 H. ?f t>?? ft g t? if lil O ^"O p S P ft