The Professor bade them farewell, an hour later, on the steps of the
house. He seemed suddenly to have aged.

"You have done your best, Mr. Quest," he said, "but Fate has been too
strong. Remember this, though. It is quite true that the cunning of Hartoo
may have made it possible for him to have stolen the skeleton and to have
brought it back to its hiding-place, but it was jealousy--cruel, brutal,
foul jealousy which smeared the walls of that hut with kerosene and set a
light to it. The work of a lifetime, my dreams of scientific immortality,
have vanished in those flames."

He turned slowly away from them and re-entered the house. Quest and Lenora
made their way down the avenue and entered the automobile which was
waiting for them, almost in silence. The latter glanced towards his
companion as they drove off.

"Say, this has been a bit tough for you," he remarked. "I'll have to call
somewhere and get you a glass of wine."

She tried to smile but her strength was almost gone. They drove to a
restaurant and sat there for a some little time. Lenora soon recovered her
colour. She even had courage to speak of the events of the afternoon when
they re-entered the automobile.

"Mr. Quest," she murmured, "who do you suppose burned the hut down?"

"If I don't say Craig, I suppose you will," he remarked. "I wonder whether
Laura's had any luck."