red the floor and
walls. There were three doors giving off of the reception room, all
three of which were closed.

"You are not married?" he asked the two.

"No!" snapped Bentley.

"That center door leads to your room, Bentley. The one next to it is
for the young lady. The other door? Ah, the other door my friends!
That door you must never open. But to make sure that curiosity does
not overcome caution, let me show you!"

* * * * *

They followed him to the door. He swung it open.

Both visitors started back and a gasp of terror burst from the lips of
Ellen Estabrook. Beads of perspiration burst forth on Bentley.

They saw a huge room. In one corner was a bed. The other held a great
cage--and in the cage was an anthropoid ape larger even than the great
brute they had met on the trail!

Barter laughed. He stepped into the room, uncoiled his whip and hurled
the lash at the cage. A great bellowing roar fairly shook the house,
while the brute tore at the bars which held him prisoner until the
whole massive cage seemed to dance. Barter laughed and continued to
goad him.

"Barter," yelled Bentley, "stop that! If that beast should ever happen
accidentally to get free he'd tear you to pieces!"

"I know," said Barter grimly, "and that's part of the experiment! Now
we shall eat, and you, young lady, shall tell me what other fool
scientists had to say about me after I disappeared--to escape their
parrot-like repeating of my discoveries!"

Bentley started to offer protest as Barter began preparation for the
meal, which obviously was to be taken in the room which held the cage
of the giant anthropoid, but Ellen put her fingers to her lips and
shook her head. Her eyes were dancing with excitement.

CHAPTER III

_A Night of Horror_

The meal consisted of various fruits, some meat which Bentley could
not identify, and wild honey which was delicious. The bread tasted
queer but was distinctly edible. The castaways ate ravenously, but
even as he ate Bentley noticed that Ellen's face was chalky pale, and
that in spite of a distinct effort of will she simply had to look at
intervals toward the great beast in the cage.

Caleb Barter sat with his back to the animal. Bentley sat at the left
of the old scientist, Ellen Estabrook at his right. The great beast
was quiet now, but he squatted within his prison and his red-rimmed
eyes swerved from one person to the other in the room with a peculia