At any rate we managed to undo the work of this fiend."
I looked at him in surprise, I, who didn't think I had an enemy in
the world.
"But who could it have been?" I asked.
"We are pretty close to that criminal," was the only reply he
would give, "providing we do not spread the net in sight of the
quarry."
"Why should he have wanted to get me?" I repeated.
"Don't flatter yourself," replied Craig. "He wanted me, too. There
wasn't any light in the laboratory last night. There was a light
in our apartment. What more natural than to think that we were
both there? You were caught in the trap intended for both of us."
I looked at him, startled. Surely this was a most desperate
criminal. To cover up one murder--perhaps two--he did not hesitate
to attempt a third, a double murder. The attack had been really
aimed at Kennedy. It had struck me alone. But it had miscarried
and Craig had saved my life.
As I reflected bitterly, I had but one satisfaction. Wretched as I
felt, I knew that it had spared Craig from slowing up on the case
at just the time when he was needed.
The news of the attempt spread quickly, for it was a police case
and got into the papers.
It was not half an hour after I reached the laboratory that the
door was pushed open by Inez Mendoza, followed by a boy spilling
with fruit and flowers like a cornucopia.
Pages:
225
226
227
228
229
230
231
232
233
234
235
236
237
238
239
240
241
242
243
244
245
246
247
248
249