ape hitherto known. Visitors may see the creature to-day in the Bronx
Zoo."

- - -

That was the story which had brought out the visitors who were
forming, moment by moment, a bigger crowd before Bentley's cage.
Bentley managed a glimpse of a woman's wrist-watch after what seemed
an age of trying to do so without his intention becoming plain to the
too bright children who crowded as close to the cage as attendants
would permit. It was ten o'clock. It would be at least twelve more
hours before Bentley could reasonably expect any action on the part of
Barter. Barter would now be concentrating on his plans to kidnap the
eighteen men he had first named.

Bentley tried to make the time pass faster by imagining what Barter
would be doing. By now his labors must be titanic. He must have
separate controls for each of his minions, and there were many times
when he must control several at one time, thus making his task akin to
that of a man trying to look two ways at once, while he rolled a
cigarette with one hand and shined his shoes with the other.
Certainly the concentration required was enormous.

Yet, no matter how complicated became his puzzle, Barter was its
master because he was its creator, and Bentley hadn't the slightest
doubt that, until someone actually penetrated Barter's stronghold, he
would not be stopped.

Bentley knew that at the very first opportunity he would destroy Caleb
Barter as he would have destroyed a mad dog or stamped to death a
deadly snake. The life of one man would rest lightly upon his
conscience, if that man were Caleb Barter.

Perhaps, though, he could learn many of Barter's secrets before he
destroyed him. Properly used they might prove boons to mankind. It was
only the use Barter was putting them to that threatened to fill the
world with horror and bloodshed.

- - -

"Mama, why don't he eat?"

"Hush," said a woman, as though afraid the Colombian ape would hear
and become angry; "don't annoy the creature. He looks fully capable of
coming right out at us."

But the child who had been admonished began to juggle a bag of peanuts
which he managed to throw into the cage. Bentley stooped forward,
sniffing suspiciously at the sack, while a wave of hunger made him
feel weak and giddy for a moment. He just realized that he hadn't
eaten for almost twenty-four hours. His time had been so filled with
action and excitement that there hadn't been opportunity.

"I h