THE ELECTRO-MAGNETIC GUN


"What shall we do?" demanded Burke, instantly taking in the
dangerous situation that the Baron's sudden change of plans had
opened up.

"Call O'Connor," I suggested, thinking of the police bureau of
missing persons, and reaching for the telephone.

"No, no!" almost shouted Craig, seizing my arm. "The police will
inevitably spoil it all. No, we must play a lone hand in this if
we are to work it out. How was Fortescue discovered, Burke?"

"Sitting in a chair in his laboratory. He must have been there all
night. There wasn't a mark on him, not a sign of violence, yet his
face was terribly drawn as though he were gasping for breath or
his heart had suddenly failed him. So far, I believe, the coroner
has no clue and isn't advertising the case."

"Take me there, then," decided Craig quickly. "Walter, I must
trust Miss Lowe to you on the journey. We must all go. That must
be our starting point, if we are to run this thing down."

I caught his significant look to me and interpreted it to mean
that he wanted me to watch Miss Lowe especially. I gathered that
taking her was in the nature of a third degree and as a result he
expected to derive some information from her. Her face was pale
and drawn as we four piled into a taxicab for a quick run downtown
to the laboratory of Fortescue from which Burke had come directly