rice Manhattan must pay to be finally rid of
Barter's satanic machinations.

When Bentley, stripped naked, quietly announced his readiness to take
his place on the operating table, Tyler senior took a deep breath,
like a diver preparing to plunge into icy water, and looked
questioningly at Bentley.

"I'm ready, sir," said Bentley quietly. "Let's get on with the task."

Dr. Tyler set to work with amazing, uncanny speed. He had never been
more skilful in closing sutures of the flesh in any of his myriad of
operations. He was a man inspired as he labored on the task of
changing Lee Bentley from a normal human being to a Colombian ape.

- - -

While the surgeon worked his son telephoned to the Colombian explorer
whose return from Latin-America had been mentioned in the day's news.
He couldn't explain anything over the telephone, he said, but would
Doctor Jackson come at once to the private offices of James Tyler,
surgeon?

Doctor Jackson grumbled, but the urgency in the voice of Tyler
convinced him that the thing was important. He promised to be on hand
within an hour. It then lacked a few minutes of three o'clock in the
morning.

Next at Bentley's suggestion--and he talked quickly and eagerly to
keep his mind off the ordeal he knew he was facing--Tyler got the
curator of the Bronx Zoo out of bed and asked him to wait upon Doctor
Tyler immediately.

At four o'clock Doctor Jackson and the curator entered the room where
Surgeon Tyler had performed a miracle.

Doctor Jackson stepped back in amazement when he noted the manlike ape
which leaned with arms folded against one wall of the operating room.
His eyes were big with amazement.

He studied Bentley for several minutes, while no one spoke a word.

It was the curator who broke the strained silence.

"So this is your Colombian ape," he said. "I read the news story, but
I understood that the ape you had found had been killed in the attempt
to capture it."

Surgeon Tyler spoke easily.

"That news story," he said, "was to prevent Doctor Jackson from being
annoyed by visitors eager to see his find. As a matter of sober fact
Doctor Jackson captured the Colombian ape alive and is now about to
turn it over to the zoo. Understand me, Doctor Jackson?"

- - -

Still the explorer said nothing. For a moment longer he stared at
Bentley; then he walked over to him.

"The hair is different," he said as though talking to himself. "The
Colombia