ontract, big as that was?

We lunched together at the St. Quentin, and it was evident that Madame
Dupres was doing her best to smooth over the ruffled feelings of her
lover.

Luncheon over, Kennedy plunged with redoubled energy into his laboratory
investigation. He said little, but I could tell from his manner that he
had found something that was very fascinating to him.

CHAPTER XV

THE GERM OF ANTHRAX

It was not until the middle of the afternoon that there came a sudden,
brief message from the Secret Service in Washington:

Mr. Craig Kennedy,
New York.

I have located the Baroness Von Dorf in a private sanitarium
here and will have her in New York tonight by eight o'clock.

BURKE.

"In a private sanitarium--will have her in New York tonight," reread
Craig, studying the message. "Then it wouldn't seem that there could be
much the matter with her."

For a few moments he paced the laboratory floor, alternately studying
the boards and the yellow telegram. At last, his face seemed to light up
as if he had reasoned something out to his satisfaction. Quickly he
reached for the telephone and called Dr. Leslie.

"I shall have the Baroness here tonight at eight, Leslie," I heard him
say. "Don't tell a soul about it. But I'd like to have you make all the
arrangements to secure the attendance of Haynes, Ames, and Madame Dupres
here just a bit ahead of that time."

There was nothing that I could do to aid Craig more in the hours that
remained than to efface myself, and I did it in the most effectual way I
could think of, compatible with my interest in the case. I rode down to
Dr. Leslie's office and dined hurriedly with him. The only new
information I gleaned was that Haynes had visited him during the
afternoon and had outlined his theory of cyanogen, which certainly
seemed to me to fit in quite readily with the facts.

When we reached the laboratory, early, Kennedy was still absorbed in
studying his microscope. He said nothing, but apparently had gained an
air of confidence which he lacked the night before.

The Baroness had not yet arrived, but a few minutes after us came Ashby
Ames, still complaining about the closing of his apartment and the
inconvenience the whole affair had put him to. Haynes arrived and Ames
cut short his tirade, glancing resentfully at the veterinary as though
in some way he were responsible for his troubles. Madame Dupres arrived
shortly, and I could no