he table. Probably this apparatus
was concerned in the Professor's weird experiments which had so aroused
the countryside. He studied it curiously, his eyes for the moment closed
in thought, until a slight sound somewhere near at hand caused him to
open them wide. Was the Kell returning?

Quickly he extinguished the lamp and glided to a nearby door, thinking
to secrete himself here, and take Kell by surprise. To his consternation
the door swung inward at a touch. He prepared instinctively for battle
against any foe who might present himself. For a moment he held himself
taut; then, nothing of an alarming nature having happened, he drew a
swift breath of relief and flashed on his light. He gave vent to a low
exclamation. The swiftly darting shaft from the torch had revealed the
figure of a girl, bound and gagged.

* * * * *

The girl lay trembling on a wretched bed in a corner of the dilapidated
old chamber. O'Hara crossed the room and bent over her. Still wary of a
trap he glanced back in the direction of the laboratory door: all safe
there. Jimmie made haste to remove the cruel gag from her mouth.

"Courage," he whispered. "Half a minute and you will be free."

He produced a knife with a suspiciously long blade and cut her bonds. He
then assisted her to her feet, where she reeled dizzily. Realizing the
need for fast action he made her sit down while he massaged the bruised
arms and ankles, which were badly swollen from the tight ropes. The girl
had apparently been in the grip of such terrible fright that she had
temporarily lost her power of speech. Mentally he chalked up another
score against the Professor as the girl made several ineffectual
attempts to speak.

"Easy, kid," Jimmie whispered. "Just sit tight, and when you feel able
you can tell me all about it. I'm going to get him good for this, you
can bank on that."

She thanked him with a faint smile, and of a sudden she found her
voice.

"Who are you? Where is father? Oh, tell me, please! I am afraid that
horrible man has murdered him. Are you a servant here? Oh, I don't know
whom to trust."

"My name is Jimmie O'Hara," replied the reporter briefly; "and I hope
you won't worry about me. I am gunning for the Proff myself. Tell me as
quickly as you can what you know about him." He still kept an eye on the
door of the adjoining laboratory. Any moment he expected to hear the
sound of the old man's approach. The room would mak