iting, started for the city and was attacked by two thugs near the
section house. I got away from them, ran to the tower house to try and
stop the freight, was followed by the thugs, and jumped out on to the last
car from the signal arm."

There was a dead silence. Quest began quietly to dust his clothes. The
Inspector stopped him.

"Don't do that," he said.

Quest paused in his task and laid down the brush.

"Any more questions?"

"Where is your automobile?"

"No idea," Quest replied. "I left it in the road. When I jumped from the
freight car, I took a taxicab to the Professor's and called for him, as
arranged."

"That is perfectly true," the Professor intervened. "Mr. Quest called for
us, as arranged previously, at ten minutes to twelve."

The inspector nodded.

"I shall have to ask you to excuse me for a moment," he said, "while I
ring up Number 10 signal tower. If Mr. Quest's story receives
corroboration, the matter is at an end. Where shall I find a telephone?"

"In every room in the house," Quest answered shortly. "There is one
outside in the passage."

The Inspector left the room almost immediately. The Professor crossed to
Quest's side. A kindly smile parted his lips.

"My dear Mr. Quest," he exclaimed, "our friend the Inspector's head has
been turned a little, beyond doubt, by these horrible happenings! Permit
me to assure you, for one, that I look upon his insinuations as absurd."

[Illustration: "MR. QUEST, YOUR ALIBI HAS BEEN FOUND WITH A BULLET IN HIS
BRAIN. I MUST PUT YOU UNDER ARREST."]

[Illustration: WHEN QUEST GOES TO THE SAFE TO PRODUCE THE JEWELS, HE FINDS
THEM MISSING.]

"The man has gone off his head!" Laura declared angrily.

"It will be all right directly he comes back," Lenora whispered, laying
her hand upon Quest's arm.

"If only some one would give me my jewels and let me go!" Mrs. Rheinholdt
moaned.

The door opened and the Inspector reappeared. He was looking graver than
ever.

"Quest," he announced, "your alibi is useless--in fact a little worse than
useless. The operator at Number 10 has been found murdered at the back of
his tower!"

Quest started.

"I ought not to have left him to those thugs," he murmured regretfully.

"There is no automobile of yours in the vicinity," the Inspector
continued, "nor any news of it. I think it will be as well now, Quest, for
this matter to take its obvious course. Will you, first of all, hand over
her jewels to Mrs. Rheinhold