Show p I Il II I j i Atwi J L l Q t 4 Q Q J 1015 f WOOD 1 I i BY B PHILLIPS J I r rJ J. II I 3 B By special arrangement for this taper paper a to p photo drama corresponding to tg Ip tire the installments of Tire The Black BlackBo Bo Box Bov may now be seen at the thc Rex theatre Friday and Saturday urda Fn FIFTH TJ INSTALLMENT T. T PS I S. S Sanford Quest mater master criminologist of or the world orld finds rinds that In bringing to Justice Macdougal the murderer of or Lord daughter ho he has but struggle Just entered a a. death and with a a. mysterious master criminal Ina in ina a hidden hut but In Professor hs h's s garden arden he ho has soon se-cn an anthropoid ape Skeleton skeleton and a. a living inhuman creature I half hat monkey half man d destroyed c by fire ZIre In his hla rooms at Intervals 1 have na ia appeared from nowhere two black I boxes with sarcastic and threatening f. f n io-n i with a SI TaIr n of armless ao i threatening hands representing those which have already alread- figured In n a diamond robbery With his Ms secretary Lenora Lonora he be and his assistant L LAura ura who follows the trail trall of or Macdougal al escaped on on his way a ato to prison and finds dead body In a cave on a lonely lonel hillside After Alter a kill him from two thuG who tr try to he returns to his rooms to find his valet Ross Brown and a n. Miss Quig French murdered and Police Inspector Frenc Investigating French puzzled half halt suspects Quest of the crime CHAPTER XII XU On the Rock Rack For the tho moment a a. new element had Introduced Into the horror of the b been en ki A nn All cre fixed ut upon on l tu J Quest who had listened to the In- In Inz inspectors inspector's dubious words with a a. supercilious supercilious super super- z cilious smile upon his lips Perhaps he suggested you would like to ask L me a few questions duty dutT to todo todo todo Perhaps I ma may feol feel It my replied gravely do so eo the Inspector In the first lIrt place then Mr Quest will you kindly explain tho the condition of ot your clothes Quest shrugged his shoulders Here you ou are then he replied This morning morning- I decided to make nn an at attempt attempt attempt at- at tempt to clear clur up the mystery of Macdougal's Mac- Mac Macdougal's dougals dougal's disappearance I sent on m my secretary Miss MIs Laura to make friends with the section bo boss and Lenora and andI I went out by automobile a n little later We Ve Instituted a search on a a. new principle prin prin- ciple and before very long we found Macdougal's body That's Thal's one ono up against you I think Inspector Very likely the toe Inspector observed Go Go on please I I l left n the two vo o young oung ladles ladies Lenora's wish to superintend the re removal re- re moval of ot the body I myself had an engagement to deliver over her Jewels to Mrs here at nt midday I returned to where here m my automobile was waiting started for the city and was atta attacked ked by two thugs near the section house I got away from them ran to totne UIO tc tower house to try and stop the was Vas followed b by the thugs and jumped out on ou me 1 LL last car L irum LU signal arm Where Is your our automobile No Idea Que Quest t replied replied- I 1 left lett Itin It ItIn ItIn in inthe In the road When I Jumped from the freight car I took a no taxicab to the professors professor's professors professor's professors professor's pro pro- fessor's and called for tor him as arranged arranged ar ar- ar- ar ranged Tho The Inspector nodded I 1 shall have havo to ask you vou ou to excuse me for tor a a. moment ho he sald said while I 1 Iring Ising ring sing up number ten signal tower If IC Mr Quests Quest's story receives receIve lion tion the matter Is at an end Tho The Inspector loft lett the room almost immediately When he he returned he was looking graver than ever Quest he announced your our alibi Is useless ln in In fact tact a a. little worse orSe than useless The operator at number ten has haa been found murdered at the back backof backof backof of the tower I Quest started I 1 ought not to havo have left him to those thugs he murmured regretfully There Is no automobile of ot yours ours In Inthe Inthe th the vicinity tho the Inspector ector continued nor nor any news of ot It I think It willbe will willbe b be as well now Quest for this matter to take Its obvious course courso Will you Jou first of ot all hand over her Jewels to Mrs Mm Quest drew the keys of the safe gato from his hla pocket crossed the room and swung open the safe door For a moment afterwards he stood transfixed Ills IUs arm half halt outstretched remained motionless Then he ho turned slowly aro around U fl d. d The Jewels have been stolen he announced with unnatural calm The Inspector held his hand heavily upon Quests Quest's shoulder You Vou will vIli kindly consider yourself under arrest Quest Ladles Ladies and gentlemen will Ill you ou clear the room now If It you ou please The ambulance I telephoned for Is outside Tho The professor who hod had been lookIng lookIng looking look look- Ing as though dazed suddenly Intervened Intervened Inter Inter- yen ed Mr French he ho said earnestly I Iam Iam 1 I am convinced that you ou are making a aI great mistake In arresting and taking I away Mr Quest you are removing from fromI us the one man mon who la is likely to be bo ablo to clear up this mystery I The Inspector pushed him gently to toon toone toone one on side I You o will Ul excuse x use mo me me professor ol he e salo sale said out Dut DUt la is no matter lor zor arsu- arsu ment mente If Mr Quest can clear himself no rio one will be bo more glad than I. I Quest shrugged his shoulders Tho Thu Inspector will have havo his little Joke h 3 observed dr dryly ly Its all allright allright allright right girls Keep cool ho went on on aa as ho SAW the tears in Lenora's eyes Come Como round and see sea me In the tho Tombs tine one of you Tho ambulance men came and departed depart ed cd with their grim burden burder the tho room on 01 thu tho ground floor was locked and sealed and th the house was soon empty except for or the two girls Toward 3 o'clock Lenora went out and returned w nth th a newspaper She opened it out outu u upon on the table and they both pored over oYer It Justice Thorpe has refused to consider con con- sider aider ld ball bal l lies He's AaL a guy that that- J Justice t 1 ana so s me ne idiot HUOt woo wrote n u this stuff Laura d thrustIng thrustIng thrustIng thrust- thrust Ing the paper awa away from her I 1 guess gueSE the professor proCessor was dead right when he told French ho hB was locking up the one man who could clear up the whole show Lenora nodded thou thoughtfully The professor spoke up like a man she sho a agreed reed but Laura 1 want to ask ark you ou something Did you notice his servant ant that ant that man Craig Cant say I did particularly Laura admitted Twice Lenora Lenoia continued I thought he was going to faint I tell you ou he ho was scared the whole of ot thet tho the t time I me What hat are you getting getting- at at kd Laura demanded At Craig If I can Lenora replied moving toward the telephone Please give me the I am going gomi go go- In ing mi to talk to the professor Laura adjusted the mirror to the In Instrument Instrument In- In I strument and Lenora rang up The professor himself answered the call Have you ou seen the 3 o'clock edition edi edi- tion professor Lenora asked I never read newspapers young lad lady the professor replied Let me tell you ou what they sa say sa about Mr Ir Quest Lenora commenced a rambling account account account ac ac- ac- ac count of what she had read In the news news- paper All the time the eyes of the two girls were fixed up the tho mirror They Ther could see sec the professor seated In his chair with two huge volumes by his side a pile pile- of manuscript and a pen penIn penIn penIn In his hand They could even catch the look 1001 of sympathy on his face as he listened attentively Suddenly Lenora almost broke off She gripped Laura by the arm The door of oC the study stud had been ope opened net slowly and Craig carrying a bundle paused for a moment on the He lie glanced nervously to toward toward toward to- to ward the professor who seemed unaware un un- aware of his entrance Then he moved stealthily toward the fireplace stooped down rt to tn the flames l m Ther n The relief l o c-o on his face fac as s she he he stood up was tas obvious All I can cah do for Mr Ir Quest young la lady lady I will the professor promised lie ito laid bid the receiver down and the re reflection re- re on the mirror faded aWl away atay Lenora Lenora Lenora Le Le- Le- Le nora started stated up up and hastily put on her coat and hat hat which were still lying en cn the chair I 1 am going right down to the professors pro pro- she announced What do you ou think you ou can do there Liura L' asked I am going to see If I can find out what that mart man burned she replied I will Ill be back In an hour Laura walked with her as far as s the tho street car and ander er very soon afterward Lenora found herself knocking at the professors professor's front door Craig admitted d her almost at once For a moment he seemed to shiver as he recognized her Veil VeU young lad lady the professor said have havo you ou thought of or something I can do dON She took no notice of the chair to which ho pointed and rested her hand nj UI en cn his shoulder Professor she be begged d go o and see sec Mr Ur Quest He Is In the tho Tombs prison It It would b bo the kindest thing anyone could possibly do The professor glanced re regretfully at athis athis athis his manuscript but he did not hesi hesi- tate He rose promptly to his feet teet If It you ou think he would appreciate It T I will wili go o at once he decided ed Her face shone hono with gratitude That Is really kind lelnd of you prof s- s cor she sho c declared l 6 h. h i J. Will win senu lor mv m- coat ana w we will go o together If It you like he suggested She smiled I am going the other othera way a back bark to Georgia square she explained Xo so please plesse dont don't ring I can n find my own way ray out She hurried from the room Outside In tho the hall ball she p paused for a moment listening with beating heart Pv Ry the side wall was a hat rack w th branchIng branchIng branch branch- Ing pegs pes from which several coats were hanging Sh Shi 1 flipped quietly behind be he- hind their shelter A moment or two later she heard the professor professer leave the house Very Ver cautiously cautiously cau cau- she he etolo tolo out from rom her hiding place riTho atthe The han hall was empty empt She Wit Mt it with noiseless footsteps slipped Into the study and moved stealthily to tho the fireplace There was wasa a a. little heap of ashes In one distinct spot She gathered them up In her handkerchief and secreted It In her dress dres an loft leU the housu house At Georgia square she aho found Laura waiting her and a few minutes afterward the two girls were ere examinIng examining examining ing the ashes with the aid cf of Quests Quest's microscope Among Amon the little pile was one fra fragment ment at the tho sight of or which they both exclaimed It was distinctly a shred of oC charred muslin embroidery Lenora pointed toward It triumphantly that evidence c she demanded Lets Lots up Inspector French Laura shook her head bead doubtfully SNot Kot so fast she aho advised French Kronen Is la a good sort in his way but hes he's prejudiced prejudiced Just now against the boss Im I'm not that this evidence sure suro would b bIts go KO far by itself Its Ils evidence enough for us to go to Craig CraiK though V What hat we wo have havo got ot to do Is to get a confession out of ot him somehow Laura studied her hf r companion fur for a moment curiously Taking some Interest In Mr Quest kid Kid aint you I Lenora enora looked up Then her head suddenly sank Into her er hands she hc knew know quite well that her secret hud hwi es escaped escaped escaped es- es nero ner Laura patted her should shoulder r. r all right child she said Sit Sit down there and wait wall quietly sh she ordered He obeyed without a word She left loft the place locked the door securely and mad made her way round to tho the other side of the tIle gara garage garai e the the side hidden from the house Here at the tho far tar corner she drew a A. little pocket wireless from her bag and sot It on th tha window a sill III Ver Very slowly she aho sent her message I have havo Craig here In tho the professors professor's garage arage locked up If It our plan has succeeded succeeded suc sue come at once I 1 am waiting for you ou There Thero was no rep reply She Sho sent the tho message e a again aln and again Suddenly during a pause thorn there was a little flush flash upon the plate A message 0 was coming to her She transcribed it with beating beating- heart O. O K IC Coming S S The guard swung open the tho wicket In front of oC Quests Quest's cell Young woman oman to see you Quest he announced Ten minutes and no loud talking please Quest moved to the tho bars It was Laura who ho stood there She wasted vcr very little time In preliminaries HaIn HayIng Hay Hav- In Ing satisfied herself that the guard was out of hearing she sho leaned as s close as she sho could to Quest soothingly ly Well Sf sio e him through this somehow or other Laura exclaimed Lenora we will Ill I ravo cavo Mr Ir Quest and we wo will viii get hold huld o of Craig I have bate c a tL plan Listen 6 Craig g she II t di If you ou move I shall shoot you ou It seemed as s though the tho man were a coward B Hi began to tremble his lips III's twitched fils rals c eyes es grew larger and roun rounder cr What is It ho hI faltered fal What do you ou want 7 Just this Lenora said firmly I suspect you to be guilty of the crime for which Sanford Quest Is In prison I am going to have hac you questioned If you OU arc are Innocent you have nothing to fear ear If you are arc guilty there will be someone here before long who tho will ex extract cx- cx tract the truth from you The Tho mans man's face was wan an epitome of oC terror Even his knees shook Lenora felt Celt herself grow calmer with every mo moment ent I am going to send seno a t message message mes mes- sage she ahe told him I shall return presently tl Dont go ho he begged suddenly Dont leave mo moL moi I am Innocent Innocent-I I have done wron wrong If you keep mo me here you ou til will do more harm than you can dream of or It Is for other people to decide about your Cur Innocence nce Lenora said calm calmly I have nothing to do with that If you ou aro are wise you ou will stop here quietly Have you OU said anything to Mr Ash- Ash Ashleigh leigh h. h miss the tho man asked piteously Not a ort word An expression of relief shone for a moment upon his face race Lonora Lenora pointed to a stool here she sho he said craz crazy with the Idea that Craig has done dono these Jobs jObs Craig Craig the professors professor's servant ant you yon know enow We e us used d the photo- photo t telesino yesterday afternoon and ami saw Mm him burn something In the professors professor's stud study Lenora went up straight awn awa away and slid pot got ot hold of the ashes Smart girl Quest murmured nodding nodding nod nod- din ding approvingly Well 1 Thorn Then are arc distinct fragments Laura continued of embroidered ed stuff such lIuch as the tho Salvation Army girl might ha have been wearing We Vo put them there on one side Bide hut but they aint enough h e evidence Lonora's Lenora's Idea Is that you should got get gothold gothold hol hold of oC Craig and hypnotize him into a confession all nil right Quest replied hut how am I to get hold of ot him Laura LauriC glanced once more carelessly around to to where tho the guard stood gone pone up to the professors professor's again this afternoon She Is going to tr- tr try and get hold of or Craig and lock him himIn himIn In the tho garage |