ately balanced and organized
as was the old scientist could have resisted the pall of gloom and
dread that permeated the group.

"Any news of the little boy, Professor?" asked McGuire.

"No, none. The mother is frantic, of course. I myself am not easy
in mind about it. I do not believe, however, that harm is intended
the boy."

"Why don't you take the police into it, Professor," asked Judge
Fletcher. "It can't be worse than it is. The Canadian police are a
very efficient organization, almost as efficient as fiction makes
them out to be."

"I have given it to the police this morning. We have decided there
is nothing to be gained by further silence. The police now have it
in hand."

"You had a note asking you to go to New York and meet the
kidnappers and their representatives didn't you?"

"Why didn't you go, Professor?"

The old man, who was glad of this opportunity of taking their
minds off their own tragedy even for the moment, answered slowly,
his keen eyes darting from one member of the group to the other.

"It seemed to Mr. McCall and Hale, Matthews agreed with this, that
the communication addressed to me was designed to take me away
from here. It seems very probable that the entire kidnapping plan
is closely tied up with your own deplorable affair, gentlemen."

They were looking at him with concern. He went on.

"I have had some little part in exposing the role that some
person, at present unknown, had in the murders of at least three
of your comrades." His keen eyes shaded by their thick lashes and
eyebrows were watching intently. "It may be that the man or men we
are seeking intend some more mischief, right here. They may wish
me out of the way.

"They sent a deciduous tooth, a baby tooth as evidence of the
lengths to which they are prepared to go to enforce their demands
on me. Sending that tooth was almost ludicrous in its futility.
Mrs. Van Orden was distracted, of course, until I informed her
that the tooth did not come out of her son's mouth.

"Why should they have selected that boy for kidnapping, if ransom
was the object? Mrs. Van Orden is a poor woman. I am comparatively
so. John has no money, he is just starting life. Why did they make
that futile gesture with the tooth?"

Goldberg, who was sitting near the edge of the porch, said with
bitter sarcasm, pointing to the overhanging rock:

"Now there is a fine chance for a man to destroy this group. If
that overhanging rock came down here