ning
when he tried to deceive his questioner.

The young man saw that it was a waste of time to question Mustad. No
reliance could be placed on anything he said.

"You will wait here, then, until Dr. Marlowe comes back?"

Mustad vigorously nodded his head and replied:

"I shall wait, and my eyes will be filled with tears until I see the
good man and his child again. When will they come to their home?"

"Well, the best thing you can do is to wait here until you see them
again."

As Jack made this remark he took a quick step forward and picked up the
revolver. He did not pause to examine it, but was sure that none of
the chambers had been discharged. Slipping the weapon into his coat
pocket, and still grasping his own, he said:

"I think I shall go out on the veranda and await the return of the
doctor."

As he made this remark he committed a mistake for which there was no
excuse. Instead of backing out of the room he turned about and started
through the open door into the hall. The walking cane against which he
had once struck his foot still lay where he had kicked it, and he
tripped over it a second time. The mishap, slight as it was, saved his
life. As he stumbled in the gloom something whizzed like the rush of a
cobra's head past his temple, nipping his hat and striking the opposite
wall with force enough to kill two or three men. It was the yataghan
of Mustad, who had drawn and hurled it with inconceivable quickness and
with an aim so unerring that it would have brained the unsuspecting
American but for his fortunate stumble.

The furious Jack whirled around with the purpose of sending a bullet
through the brain of the wretch, but something like a shadow flitted
through the lamplight while Jack was in the act of turning and, before
he could secure any aim, the scoundrel had vanished. Determined not to
be balked the young man let fly, and then, bounding across the room,
snapped back the door, meaning to repeat the shot at the first glimpse
of Mustad. But the latter was familiar with all the turnings of the
house, while Jack knew nothing of that portion of the building. He
could neither see nor hear anything, and did not deem it prudent to use
the lamp to help in the search, though it was hard to retire from the
field and leave the miscreant unpunished.

To do so, however, was the wiser course, and again he moved into the
hall. This time he backed thither, though, since Mustad had no weapon,
it