-he's a
thing. If Shiro dies and we can ever find out who did it I'll shoot him
with the biggest explosive charge I've got. No, I won't either, that'd
be too sudden. I'll take him apart with my bare hands."

"We will find him, Dick," Crane replied in a level, deadly voice
entirely unlike his usual tone. "That is one thing money can do. We will
get him if money, influence, and detectives can do it."

The tension was relieved by the arrival of the surgeon and his two
nurses, who set to work with the machine-like rapidity and precision of
their highly-specialized craft. After a few minutes, the work completed,
the surgeon turned to the two men who had been watching him so intently,
with a smile upon his clean-shaven face.

"Merely a scalp wound, Mr. Crane," he stated. "He should recover
consciousness in an hour or so." Then, breaking in upon Seaton's
exclamation, "It looks much worse than it really is. The bullet glanced
off the skull instead of penetrating it, stunning him by the force the
blow. There are no indications that the brain is affected in any way,
and while the affected area of the scalp is large, it is a clean wound
and should heal rapidly. He will probably be up and around in a couple
of days, and by the time his hair grows again, he will not be able to
find a scar."

As he took his leave, the police and coroner arrived. After making a
thorough investigation, in which they learned what had been stolen and
shrewdly deduced the manner in which the robbery had been accomplished,
they departed, taking with them the bodies. They were authorized by
Crane to offer a reward of one million dollars for information leading
to the arrest and conviction of the murderer. After everyone except the
nurses had gone, Crane showed them the rooms they were to occupy while
caring for the wounded man. As the surgeon had foretold, Shiro soon
recovered consciousness. After telling his story he dropped into a deep
sleep, and Seaton and Crane, after another telephonic conference with
Prescott, retired for the rest of the night.

CHAPTER VI

The Object-Compass at Work

Prescott, after a sleepless night, joined Seaton and Crane at breakfast.

"What do you make of it, Mr. Prescott?" asked Crane. "Seaton here thinks
it was DuQuesne, possibly acting for some foreign power, after our
flying-machine to use in war. I think it was some big industrial concern
after our power-plant. What is your opinion?"

"I haven't any," rep