tents that it was
evident, even to her, that some drastic action must be taken, and at
once.

In a corner of the room, coiled up in a big armchair, Zita was
apparently reading a new magazine, but was, in reality, listening
intently to every word that was being uttered.

Finally Eva and the lawyer were in full accord, and she accompanied the
elderly attorney to the door. As they parted, Zita strained her ears to
hear the last words. She did not get it all, but quite enough to tell
her what they had decided upon.

"As my lawyer," she overheard Eva say, "I wish you to have Mr. Locke
appointed receiver."

There was some more she missed, but that was quite enough for Zita. She
got out of the chair quickly and left the room without being observed,
and a few moments later she had left the house.

In a telephone-booth, not far from the cove fishing-village, Locke by
this time had his chief of the Department of Justice on the wire.

"I've located him, Chief," he telephoned, excitedly, "but it will take
four good men to capture him."

"I'll send them at once," the chief replied, as both hung up their
receivers hurriedly.

Meanwhile, in Herbert Balcom's sumptuous, semi-Oriental apartment two
men were in earnest conversation. One was the owner, Balcom, the other
that strange, half-demented being, Doctor Q, whose mind now, for the
moment, seemed to be lucid.

The matter under discussion was undoubtedly a weighty one, for both men
sat with knitted brows, and for the moment, at least, seemed in a
quandary about something.

Suddenly there came a hurried ringing at the outside-door bell and
Balcom leaped to his feet. They could hear the door opened, quick
footsteps in the hallway, and then, without ceremony, the door was flung
open and Dora burst into the room.

Balcom scowled a welcome, for he hated this woman, who had, as he
thought, spoiled the chances of his son with Eva. But Dora did not wait
for the threatened outburst.

"Hurry!" she cried. "You must do something. Paul has been wounded--never
mind how--but he lies in a fishing-shack down at the cove--and they are
going to arrest him--Locke is!"

For the moment both men seemed to be stricken dumb, while Dora, in a
state of wild excitement, pleaded for them to do something--anything to
save the one person she loved.

It was at this juncture that the door opened again, admitting another
woman. It was Zita, very agitated, though, of course, under better
control tha