piazza. There were no
signs of any human life. The windows were curtainless and displayed vistas
of rooms practically devoid of furniture. They came back to the front
door. Quest tried the handle and found it open. They passed into the hall.

"Hospitable sort of place, any way," he remarked. "We'll go in and wait,
Lenora."

They found their way to the study, which seemed to be the only habitable
room. Lenora glanced around at its strange contents with an expression
almost of awe.

"Fancy a man living in a muddle like this!" she exclaimed. "Not a picture,
scarcely a carpet, uncomfortable chairs--nothing but bones and skeletons
and mummies and dried-up animals. A man with tastes like this, Mr. Quest,
must have a very different outlook upon life from ordinary human beings."

Quest nodded.

"He generally has," he admitted. "Here comes our host, any way."

A small motor-car passed the window, driven by Craig. The Professor
descended. A moment or two later he entered the room. He gazed from Quest
to Lenora at first in blank surprise. Then he held out his hands.

"You have good news for me, my friends!" he exclaimed. "I am sure of it.
How unfortunate that I was not at home to receive you! Tell me--don't keep
me in suspense, if you please--you have discovered my skeleton?"

"We have found the skeleton," Quest announced.

For a single moment the new-comer stood as though turned to stone. There
was a silence which was not without its curious dramatic significance.
Then a light broke across the Professor's face. He gave a great gulp of
relief.

"My skeleton!" he murmured. "Mr. Quest, I knew it. You are the greatest
man alive. Now tell me quickly--I want to know everything, but this first
of all.--Where did you find the skeleton? Who was the thief?"

"We found the skeleton, Professor," Quest replied, "within a hundred yards
of this house."

The Professor's mouth was wide open. He looked like a bewildered child. It
was several seconds before he spoke.

"Within a hundred yards of this house? Then it wasn't stolen by one of my
rivals?"

"I should say not," Quest admitted.

"Where? Where exactly did you find it?" the other insisted.

Quest was standing very still, his manner more reserved even than usual,
his eyes studying the Professor, weighing every spoken word.

"I found it in a hut," he said, "hidden in a piano box. I found there,
also, a creature--a human being, I must call him--in a state of
captivity."

"