i
E.PHUiPS OPPENHEIM
COP>T?IOHT «9i5 Or»5 f WOOD
Novelized from the Photo Play of the Same Name. Produced by the Universal
Film Manufacturing Company.
SYNOPSIS,
Sanford Quest, master criminologist of
the world, finds that In bringing to Jus
tice Macdougal, the murderer of Lord
Ashleigh’s daughter, he has but Just be
gun a Ufe-and-death struggle with a mys
terious master criminal. In a hidden but
In Professor Ashlelgh's garden he has
seen an anthropoid ape skeleton and a liv
ing inhuman creature, half monkey, half
man, destroyed by fire. In his room have
appeared from nowhere black boxes, one
containing diamonds torn from a lovely
throat by a pair of armless, threatening
hands, both with sarcastic, threatening
notes signed by the Inscrutable hands. He
Is arrested for the murder of his valet,
Ross Rrown, and a Miss Qulgg, In his
rooms. Laura and Lenora. his assistants,
suspect Craig, the professor's valet Le
nora ts abducted by the threatening
hands, but Is rescued. Quest clears him
self of the murder charge, but falls to
trap Craig. In his rooms another black
box appears In the rifled safe and, return
ing the diamonds a second time, the aos
companylng note tells him he has no
chance against the inherited cunning of
ages.
SEVENTH INSTALLMENT
THE HOUSE OF MYSTERY.
CHAPTER XVI.
Something In the nature of a con
ference was proceeding In Quest’s
study. The professor was there, seat
ed in the most comfortable easy
chalr, smoking without •'dish one of
his host’s 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
professor’s highly strung state, had
left him alone for a few moments
and was studying a map of New York.
The latter, however, was too III at
ease to keep silent for long.
“Our friend French," he remarked,
“gave you no clue, I suppose, as to the
direction in which his investigations
are leading him?"
Quest glanced up from the map.
“None at all. I 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.
“It seems strange," he continued,
“that the young lady should have so
little to tell us about her incarcera
tion.”
Lenora shivered for a moment.
“What could there be to tell,” she
asked, “except that it was all horrible,
and that I felt things—felt dangers—
which I couldn’t describe.”
The professor gave vent to an im
patient little exclamation.
“I am not speaking for fancies,” he
persisted. “You had food brought to
you, for Instance. Could you never
see the hand which placed it inside
your room? Could you hear nothing
of the footsteps of the person who
brought it? Could you not even sur
mise whether it were 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 tne
food," she said, "came at night—never
in the daytime. I never heard any
thing. The most I ever saw was once
—I happened to be looking toward
the door and I saw a pair of hands—
nothing more—setting down a tray. I
shrieked and called out. I think that
1 almost fainted. When I found cour
age enough to look, there was nothing
there but the tray upon the floor."
The professor sighed as he turned
away.
"It Is evident, I am afraid," he said,
"that MIsb Lenora's evidence will help
no one. As an expert In these affairs,
Mr Quest, does It not seem to you
that her Imprisonment was just a lit
tle purposeless? There seems to have
been no attempt to harm her in any
way.”
"Whoever took the risk of abduct
ing her,” Quest pointed out grimly,
“did It for a purpose. That purpose
would probably have been devel
oped in course of time. However we
look at It, Mr. Ashleigh. there was
only one man who must have been
anxious to get her out of the w^ay, and
that man was Craig. Here comes our
friend French. I have an idea that he
has something to tell us."
They glanced expectantly towards
the door as French entered. The in
spector, who was looking very spruce
and well brushed, wished them a gen
eral good-morning. His eyes rested
last and longest upon Laura, who
seemed, however, unconscious of his
presence.
“Now, then. French," QueRt began,
as he returned his greeting, “take a
cigar, make yourself comfortable in
that chair and let us have your news.
As you see, we have obeyed orders.
We are all ready to follow you any
where."
“It won’t be to the end of the w'orld.
anyway,” the Inspector remarked, as
he lit his cigar. "I am going to pro
pose a little excursion down Gayson
avenue way.”
“Back to that house?" Lenora ex
claimed with a grimace.
The inspector nodded.
"We have had those boys at the
station,' he went on, “and we have
questioned them carefully. It seems
that after they had picked up the bail,
a man came out of the side entrance
of the house, saw them reading Miss
Lenora’s message, and shouted after
them. The boys had sense enough
to scoot. The man ran after them,
but had to give it up. Here is their
description of him.”
The inspector took a piece of pa
per from his pocket. They all waited
breathlessly.
“Had to drag this out of the boys,
bit by hit,” the inspector proceeded,
“but boiled down and put into reason
able language, this is what it comes
to: A man of medium height, rather
thin, pale, and after running a
short distance he put his hand to
his heart, as though out of breath.
One of the boys thought his nose was
a little hooked, and they both re
marked upon the fact that although
he shouted after them, he used no
swear words, but simply tried to in
duce them to stop. This description
suggest anything to you, gentlemen?”
“Craig,” Lenora said firmly.
“It is a very accurate discretion of
Craig,” Sanford Quest agreed.
The professor looked troubled, also
a little perplexed. He said nothing,
however.
“Under these circumstances,” the
inspector continued, "I have had the
house watched, and I propose that we
now search it systematically. It is
very possible that something may
transpire to help us. Of course, my
men went through it. roughly when
we brought Miss Lenora away, but
that wasn’t anything of a search to
count. If the place really has become
h haunt of criminals.”
“What about the ownership of the
house?” Quest asked, as he took up
his hat.
The inspector nodded approvingly.
“I am making a few inquiries in
that direction,” he announced. “I ex
pect to have something to report very
shortly.”
I lie professor stood drawing on
his gloves. The vague look of trouble
still lingered in his face.
“Tell me again,” he begged, “the
name of the avenue in which this res
idence Is situated?”
“Clayson avenue," the Inspector re
plied. “It’s a bit out of the way, but
It’s not a bad neighborhood.”
The professor repeated the address
to himself softly. For a moment he
stood quite still. His manner showed
signs of growing anxiety. He seemed
to be trying to remember something.
"The name,” he admitted finally, as
they moved towards the door, "sug
gests to me, I must confess—we are
going to see the house inspector?”
“We are on our way there now, sir
—that is if the young ladies are wili
ng?” he added, glancing at Laura.
"We’ve been waiting here with our
lats on for the last half hour,” Laura
The Whole Staircase Suddenly Began
to Revolve.
replied promptly. “You’ve stretched
your ten minutes out some, Mr.
French."
The Inspector maneuvered to let the
others pass on, and descended the
stairs by Laura’s side.
"Couldn’t help It,” he confided,
lowering his tone a little. "Had some
Information In about that, hotise I
couldn’t quite size up. You're looking
well this morning, Mt,ss Laura."
“Say, who are you guying!” she re
plied.
"I mean It," the Inspector persisted.
"That hat seems to suit you."
Laura laughed at the top of her
voice.
"Say, kid," she exclaimed to Le
nora, "the li gpeotof here's setting up
as a judge of millinery!”
Lenora turned and looked at them
both with an air of blank astonish
ment. The inspector was a little em
barrassed.
“No need to give me away like that,”
he muttered, as they readied the hall.
"Now then, ladies and gentlemen, if
you are ready.”
They took their places in the au
tomobile and drove off. As they
neared the vicinity of Oayson avenue
the professor began to show signs of
renewed uneasiness. When they drew
up at last outside the house he gave
a little exclamation. His face was
grave, almost haggard.
"Mr. Quest,” he said, "Inspector
French, I deeply regret that I have
a statement to make.”
They both turned quickly toward
him. The inspector smiled in a con
fidential manner at Laura. It was
obvious that he knew what was com
ing.
"Some years ago,” the professor
continued, "I bought this house and
made a present of it to—”
“To whom?” Quest asked quickly.
“To my servant Craig,” the profes
sor admitted with a groan.
I>enora gave a little cry She turned
triumphantly towards the inspector.
“All recollection as to its locality
had escaped me,” the professor con
tinued sorrowfully. "I remember that
It was on the anniversary of his hav
ing been with me for some fifteen
years that I decided to show him
some substantial mark of my appre
ciation. I knew that he was looking
for a domicile for his father and
mother, who are since both dead,
and I requested a house agent to send
me in a list of suitable residences.
This, alas! was the one I purchased.”
Quest glanced around the place.
“I think,” he said, "that the profes
sor’s statement now removes any
doubt as to Craig’s guilt. You are
sure the house has been closely
watched, inspector?"
"Since I received certain Informa
tion,” French replied, "I have had
half a dozen of my best men in the
vicinity. I can assure you that no
one has entered or left it during the
last twenty-four hours.”
They made their way to the piazza
steps and entered by the front door.
The house was an ordinary frame- !
work one of moderate size, in poor re- j
pair, and showing signs of great neg
lect. The rooms were barely fur- :
nished and their first cursory search
revealed no traces of habitation. ;
There was still the broken skylight
in the ropy which Lenora had occu- I
pied, and me bed upon which she had j
slept was still crumpled. French, <
who had been tapping the walls down
stairs, called to them. They trooped
down into the hall. The inspector
was standing before what appeared to
be an ordinary panel.
“Look here," he said, glancing out
of the corner of his eye to be sure
that Laura was there, “let me jShow
you what I have Just discovered."
He felt with his thumb for a spring.
In a moment or two a portion of the
w'all, about two feet in extent, slowly
revolved, disclosing a small cup
board fitted with a telephone instru
ment.
"A telephone,” the Inspector re
marked, pointing to It, “in an unoccu
pied house and a concealed cup- 1
board. What do you think of that?"
The professor shook his head.
"Don’t ask me," he groaned.
French took the receiver from its
rest and railed up the exchange.
“Inspector French speaking," he
announced. “Kindly tell me what 1s
the number of the telephone from
which I am speaking, and who is the
subscriber?"
He listened to the reply and asked
another question.
“Can you tell me when this instru
ment was last used? . . . When?
. . . . Thank you!"
The Inspector hung up the receiver.
"The subscriber's name," he told
them dryly, "is Brown. The number
is not entered in the book, by re
quest. The telephone was used an
hour ago from a call office and con
nection was established. That is to
say, that someone spoke from this
telephone.”
"Then if your men have maintained
their search properly, that someone,”
Quest said slowly, "must be in the
house at the present moment.”
“Without a doubt,” the inspector
agreed.
"I am going to search the front
room on the first floor before we do
anything else,” said Quest. “I think
that If you wait here I may be able to
show you something directly.”
Quest ascended the stairs and en
tered a wholly unfurnished room on
the left-hand side. He looked for a
minute contemplatively at a large but
rather shallow cupboard, the door of
which stood open, and tapped lightly
with his forefinger upon the back part
of it. Then he withdrew a few feet
and, drawing out his revolver, delib
erately fired into the floor, a few
Inches inside. There was a half
stifled cry. The false back suddenly
swung open and a man rushed out.
Quest's revolver covered him, but
there was rrt pecesslty for its use.
Craig, smothered with dust, his face
white as a piece of marble, even his
jaw shaking with fear, was wholly
unarmed. He seemed, in fact, incap
able of any form of resistance.
“Walk ottf of the room,” Quest or
dered, “in front of me—so! Now
turn to the right and go down the
stairs.”
They all gave a little cry as they
saw him appear, a trembling, pitiful
creature, glancing around like a
trapped animal He commenced to
descend the stairs, holding tightly
to the banisters. Quest remained on
the landing above, his revolver in hig
He Was Wearing Craig's Clothes.
hand. French waited In the hall be
low, also armed. Laura gripped Le
nora's arm in excitement.
‘They’ve got him now!” she ex
claimed. "Got him sure!'
On the fourth or fifth stair CraL
hesitated He suddenly saw the pro
fessor standing below He gripper
the banisters with one hand Th<
other he flung out in a threatening
gesture
"You’ve given me away to these
bloodhounds!’ he cried—“you, foi
whom I have toiled and slaved, whon.
I have followed all over the world
whom I have served faithfully with
the last breath of my body and tlic
last drop of blood in my veins! Yon
have brought them here—tracked nit
down! You!"
The professor shook his head sor
rowfully.
“Craig," he said, “you have been
the best servant man ever had. It
you are innocent of these crimes you
can clear yourself. If you are guilty
a dog's death is none too good for
you.”
Craig seemed to sway for a moment
upon his feet. Only Lenora, from the
hall, saw that lie was fitting his right
foot into what seemed to be a leath
er loop hanging from the banisters
Then a wild shout of surprise broke
from the lips of all of them, followed
by a moment of stupefied winder
The whole staircase suddenly began
to revolve. Craig, clinging to the
banisters, disappeared. In a moment
or two there was a fresh click. An
other set of stairs, identical to the
first, had taken their place.
“The cellar!” Quest shouted, as he
rushed down the stairs. “Quick!”
They wrenched open the wooden
door and hurried down the dark stops
into the gloomy, unlit cellar. The
place was crowded with packing cases
and two large wine barrels stood in
the corner. At the farther end was
a door. Quest rushed for it and stood
guard. A moment later, how-ever, he
called to Laura and pressed Ilfs re
volver into her hand.
“Stand there,” he ordered. “Shoot
him if he tries to run out. T'il search
in the packing cases. He might b<
dangerous.”
The professor, out of breath, wn<
ieaning against one of the pillars
his arm passed around it for support
Lenora, with Quest and French
searched hastily amongst the parking
cases. Suddenly there was a loud
crack, the sound of falling masonry,
followed hv a scream from Laura
French, with a roar of anger, rushed
toward her. She was lying on her
side, already half covered by falling
bricks and masonry. He dragged her
away, just in time.
"My God, she’s fainted!" he ex
claimed.
“I haven’t," Laura faltered, trying
to open her eyes, “and I’m not going
to, but I think my arm's broken, and
my side hurts.”
“The fellow’s not down here, any
way," Quest declared. “Let’s help her
upstairs and get her out of this
devil's house "
They supported her up the steps
and found a chair for her in the hall.
The inspector swung open the tele
phone cupboard and called for an am
bulance. Then Quest, who had been
examining the staircase, suddenly
gave a little exclamation.
“He’s done us!" he cried. “T<ook
here, French, this is the original stair
case. There’s the leather loop. I
know it because there was a crack on
the fourth stair. When we rushed
down the cellar after him, he swung
the thing round again and simply
walked out of the front door. Damn
it, roan, it’s open!”
They hurried outside. French blew
his whistle. One of the plain-clothes
men came running up from the ave
nue. lie was looking a little sheep
ish.
“What's wrong?" French demand
ed.
"lie's gone off,” was the unwilling
reply. “I guess that chap's given us
the slip.”
“Speak tip." French insisted.
“The only place," the man went on,
"we hadn’t our eyes glued on was
the front door. He must have come
out through that. There's been a
motortruck with one or two queer
looking chaps in It at Iho corner of
the avenue there for the last ten min
utes. I’d just made up my mind to
stroll round and see what it was up
to when .litn. who was on the other
side, shouted out. A man Jumped up
into it and they made off at once."
The inspector’s rubicund counte
nance was white with fury. His head
kept turning In the direction of Laura,
to whom the professor was busy ren
dering first aid
“If 1 never take another job on aa
ong as I live,” h« declared, **i*11 have
hat fellow before I'm through!”
CHAPTER XVII.
The professor roused himself from
what had apparently been a very
gloomy reverie.
"Well," he announced, “I must go
home, li has been very kind of you.
Mr Quest, to keep me here for bo
long.”
Quest glanced at the clock.
"Don’t hurry, Mr Ashleigh,” he
aid “We may get some news at any
moment. French has a dozen men
>ut on the search and he has prom
sed to ring me up Immediately he
hears anything.”
The professor sighed.
“A man,” he declared, “who for
twenty years can deceive his master
as utterly and completely as Craig
has done me, who is capable of such
diabolical outrages, and who, when
capture stares him in the face, is
capable of an escape such as he made
today, is outside the laws of prob
ability. Personally, I do not believe
hat I shall ever again see the face
of my servant, any more than that
you, Quest, will entirely solve the
mystery of these murders and the
theft of the Rheinholdt Jewels. What
can we do against men who have re
volving staircases and trolley-loads
of river pirates waiting for them?
You may be a scientific criminologist,
Quest, but that fellow Craig is a
scientific criminal, if ever there was
one.”
Quest crossed the room towards his
cigar cabinet, and opened it. His little
start was apparent to both of them.
Cenora laid down the bag which she
had just lifted up. The professor
leaned forward in his chair.
“What is it, Quest?” he demanded.
Quest stretched out his hand and
picked up from the top of the ctgftfs
a small black box! He laid it on the
table.
“Fniess I am very much mistaken,”
he said, "It Is another communication
from our mysterious friend.”
“Impossible!” the professor ex
claimed hoarsely.
“How can he have been here?” Le
nora cried.
Quest removed the lid from the
hex and drew out a circular card
Around the outside edge waR a very
clever pen and ink sketch of a life
buoy, and Inside the margin were
several sentences of clear handwrit
ing. In the middle was the signa
ture—the clenched hands! Quest
read the messape aloud:
In the great scheme of things, the
Supreme Ruler of the universe di
vided an inheritance amongst his
children. To one he gave power, to
another strength, to another beauty,
but to his favorite he gave cunning.
They all looked at one another.
“What does it mean?” Lenora
pasped.
"A lifebuoy!" the professor mur
mured.
They both stared at Quest, who re
tnained slier* chewing hard at the
end of his cigar.
"Every message,’' he said, speaking
half to himself, “has hHd some sig
nificance. What does this mean—a
lifebuoy?”
lie was silent for a moment. Then
he turned suddenly to the professor.
“What did you call those men in the
motortruck, professor—river pirates?
And a lifebuoy! Wait."
He crossed the room towards his
desk and returned with a list, in his
hand. He ran his finger down it,
stopped and glanced at the date.
“The Durham,” he muttered, “cargo
cotton, destination Southampton, sails
at high tide or. the 16th. Lenora, is
that calendar right?”
“It's the 1 Oth, Mr. Quest,” she an
swered.
Quest crossed the room to the tele
phone.
"I want number one, central,” he
said. "Thank you! l’ut me through
to Mr. French’s office . . . Hello,
French' I've pot an Idea. Can you
come round here at once and bring
an automobile? I want to get down
to the docks—not where the passen
per Steamers start from- lower down.
, . Good! We’ll wait."
Quest hung up the receiver.
“See here, professor,” lie continued,
"ihat fellow wouldn’t dare to send
this message if he weren't pretty sure
of getting off. lie’s made all hi
plans beforehand, hut it's my belie
we shall just get our hands upon him
[Pier a'i "
Presently the heard the automobll
stop outside and French appeared.
“Anything doing?” lie asked.
Quest showed him fhe card and the
sail'ng list.
The inspector glanced at the clock.
“Then we’ve got to make tracks'
he declared, “and pretty quick, too
She'll be starting from somewhere
about number twenty-eight dock, »
long way down Come along, gentle
men.’'
They hurried out to the automobile
and started off for the docks. Th<
latter part of their journey was ae
complished under difficulties for the
street was packed with drays and
heavy vehicles. They reached dbck
number twenty-eight at last, how
ever, and hurried through the shed
on to the wharf There were no sigin
of a steamer there.
"Where's the Durham?’ Quo!
asked one of the carters, who was just
getting his team together.
The man pointed out to the middle
of river, where a small steamer was
lying.
"There she is," he replied "She’h
be off in a few minutes. You'll heat
the sirens directly when they begh.
to move dowrn.”
Quest led the way quickly to the
edge of the wharf. There was :»
small tug there, the crew of which
were Just making her fast for th<
night.
"Fifty dollars if you'll take 11s out
to the Durham and catch her before
she sails.’ Quest shouted to the man
who seemed to he the captain.
They clambered down the iron lad
der and iumped on to the deck of th>
tug. The captain seized the wheel.
The two men who formed the crew
took off their coats and waistcoats
"Give it to her, Jim,'' the former or
dered. "Now then, here goes! We’ll
just miss the ferry.”
They swung around and commenced
their journey. Quest stood with his
watch in his hand. They were getting
up the anchor ot the Durham an )
from higher up the river came th<
screecn of steamers beginning to
move on their outward way.
“We’ll make it all right,” the cap
tain assured them.
They were within a hundred yards
of the Durham when Quest gave a lif
tie exclamation. From the other side
of the steamer another tug shot ouf
away, turning back towards New
York. Huddled up in the stern, half
concealed In a tarpaulin, was a man
in a plain black suit. Quest, with a
little shout, recognized the man at
the helm from hta long, brown beard.
“That’s one of those fellows who
was in the truck,” he declared, "and
that's Craig In the stern! We've got
him this time. Say, captain, it's that
tug I want. Never mind about the
steamer. Catch it and I'll make It a
hundred dollars!”
Weve got her! he captain ex
claimed. There’s the ferry and the
first of the steamers coming down in
the middle. They’ll have to chuck it.”
Right ahead of them, blazing with
lights, a huge ferry came churning
the river up and sending waves in
their direction. On the other side,
l i
Quest Stood on Guard^ j
unnaturally large, loomed up the
great bows of an ocean-going steamer
The tug was swung round and they,
ran up alongside. The man with the
beard leaned over.
"Say, what's your trouble?’’ he de
manded.
The Inspector stepped forward.
"I want that man you’ve got under
the tarpaultn,” he announced.
“Say, you ain't the river police?”
‘Tru Inspector French from head
quarters,’’ was the curt reply. “The*
sooner you hand him over, the better
for you.’’
"Do ykiu hear that, O’Toole?" the
other bemarked, turning around. "Get.
up, you blackguard!" t
A man rose from underneath the
oilskin. He was wearing (’ralg's
clothes, but his face was the face of a
stranger. As quick as lightning Quest
sw'ung round in his place.
“He’s fooled ua again!” he ex
claimed. “Head her round, captain
back to the Durham!”
The sailor shook his bead •
“We’ve lost our chancw \uvnor *
he pointed out. “Look,*,'’
Quest set his teeth gripped the
inspector’s arm. .-Tne place where
the Durham l)“d been anchored was
empty. A "ready, half a mile down,
the rlvor, with a trail of light behind
and her siren shrieking, the Durham
waa standing out srawards.
tTQ BE CONTINUED.)