w, Tommy," Bentley whispered deep down
inside him.

"Now you shall see what I do, Lee," said Caleb Barter. "Naka Machi,
bring the ape skin you took from my friend. Bentley, you will follow
us."

- - -

Barter removed the strange glasses from Bentley's eyes, blotting out
the deserted streets and avenues of Manhattan. Naka Machi followed
behind Bentley, carrying the ape skin in which Bentley had penetrated
the stronghold of Caleb Barter.

The chrome-steel door swung silently back and the three entered
another room filled with blaring light. Without being able to look
back Bentley knew that Ellen, white of face and staring, followed at
their heels.

There was a long white operating table in this room, and a smaller
chrome-steel door set some four feet above the floor in one wall.

"Naka Machi, the incineration tube," said Barter brusquely.

Naka Machi stepped to the operating table and dug into one of the
drawers. He brought out a white tube, closed at one end, about an
inch in diameter, eight inches in length, and snowy white.

"Concentrated fire, Bentley," said Barter. "Watch!"

Barter had Naka Machi cast the ape skin through the small steel door,
beyond which Bentley could see a boxlike space large enough to
accommodate two or three grown men, lying side by side at full length.
It seemed to be indirectly lighted. The ape skin dropped on the floor
of this compartment. Barter took the "incineration tube" and directed
it on the skin. Bentley heard the clicking of a button.

The ape skin charred quickly, folded up, drew into itself,
disappeared--and a fine gray ash settled on the floor of the
compartment, like rain from the roof of the ghastly little space.

"Now you understand that I have solved the problem of disposing of the
cumbersome useless bodies of my hostages, Lee," said Baxter, rubbing
his hands together as though he washed them.

Bentley's heart leaped as Naka Machi placed the incineration tube on
the operating table. It was close enough that Bentley could have
reached it, had he not been utterly powerless to move.

"Naka Machi," said Barter. "Bring me ape D-4 and Frank Keller, the
diplomat. Ellen, clear the operating table. Quickly, now! Bentley,
stand against the wall and do not move--but miss nothing I do."

CHAPTER XIV

_The Straining Prison_

Then began a grim series of activities which combined to form a
nightmare Bentley was never to forget, even as he prayed withi