t it will make good reading,
anyhow. I must arrange it so we can get a scoop out of it."

His first act was to go to the office of the paper and tell Mr.
Emberg what had occurred. The city editor was much excited by the
news.

"That will make a great yarn!" he exclaimed. "I hope your friend
Grace soon comes back with her mother and makes the identification
complete. We must do nothing to hasten matters or some other paper
will get on to the game and spoil our story."

"Even the hospital people don't suspect yet," said Larry. "They
don't know who their patient is--not even his assumed name."

"I guess things are coming our way. We'll clear up the Potter
mystery and the Sullivan disappearance at the same time. I believe
Sullivan is in with Mr. Potter on some deal. It begins to look
suspicious. The friends of Reilly and Kilburn are all at sea. They'd
give a thousand dollars to know which way Sullivan was going to
jump."

Larry paid an early visit to the hospital the next day to see how
matters were progressing. His friend, the nurse, greeted him with a
smile.

"I guess you can have an interview with your mysterious
acquaintance now," she said. "He is much better than we expected,
and, for the first time since the operation, talks rationally. We
have not questioned him yet. We are not as curious as you newspaper
men are."

"Well, we have to be," responded Larry. "Can I go up now? Has the
man who was here yesterday been back?"

"Yes to your first question, and no to the second. You can go up.
The superintendent left word to that effect. He is quite friendly to
you."

Larry started for the ward where Retto was. His heart was beating
strangely. He felt that he was on the verge of solving the secret of
the millionaire's disappearance and restoring to Grace her father.

As he approached the bed where Retto reclined he was motioned back
by another nurse on duty there.

"He has just fallen asleep," she said. "When he awakens again you
may speak to him. He has been writing a letter."

Larry was disappointed. He looked at the man who had played such an
important part in the disappearance of the millionaire, and who, he
believed, was destined to assume a much more important role. The
patient's beard and moustache had grown since the accident, and the
smooth-shaven man was no more. Instead, Larry saw before him a
person who, as he recalled the photographs of Mr. Potter, bore a
remarkable resemblance to the millionair