Cardona beckoned Benzig forward. The a.s.sistant was nervous. Cardona introduced him, then orderedthe man to repeat his story.

"I was in here with Mr. Valdan," testified Benzig. "He had just returned from a trip out of town. He was annoyed because he did not find the evening newspaper on his table. So I took the opportunity to go and find Crowder."

"Why?" quizzed Barth.

"Because it was Crowder's duty to leave the newspaper here, I crossed the outer laboratory. Then I heard the door of this room close. I decided that Mr. Valdan wanted to be alone. In fact, I thought sir - but I can not be quite sure - that I heard Mr. Valdan slide the bolt after he had closed the door."

"Was that his custom?"

"Yes, sir."

"Why?"

"Because he had experiments of his own. I never ventured to inquire into their nature. My work was in the outer laboratory. Mere routine, sir."

"What did you do after the door closed?" inquired Barth.

"I continued upstairs," resumed Benzig. "I looked for Crowder. I called but he did not answer. So I went up to the second floor - that is, the third floor, if you count this as the first -"

"I understand. Proceed."

"When I came down, I found Crowder. He had come from the kitchen, sir. I mentioned the matter of the newspaper. He was quite surprised. He stated that he had placed it in this little laboratory. So he came along with me, to inform Mr. Valdan of the fact."

"Then you both returned together?"

"Yes, sir. We should have knocked at the door; but I opened it without thinking. I was surprised to note that the light was out. Crowder pressed the switch, sir. Then - then we saw the body."

BARTH c.o.c.ked his head and studied the mild-faced a.s.sistant. Benzig seemed to shrink under the commissioner's eagle gaze. Barth waved Benzig aside and spoke to Crowder.

"Your story," ordered the commissioner.

"I was in the kitchen," stated the solemn servant. "I was preparing a light supper for Mr. Valdan. I chanced to come out into the hallway; I found Benzig there. He told me that he had been calling for me and that he had looked about on the upper floor.

"Then he mentioned the newspaper, sir. So I came down here with him. Benzig opened the door. I turned on the light. I saw Mr. Valdan's body."

Barth studied the servant in the same fashion as he had eyed the a.s.sistant. He paced back and forth beside Valdan's body. He swung suddenly to Benzig and snapped a question.

"You think that Valdan bolted the door?" questioned the commissioner.

"Yes," replied Benzig. "But it may have been my imagination. You see, sir, Mr. Valdan had spoken aboutthe outer door - the one in the large laboratory - the door that leads to the little alleyway between this house and the next -"

"What did he say about it?"

"He made sure that it was bolted, sir. That was before he came in here."

"Is that outer door bolted now?" demanded Barth, turning to Cardona.

"No," replied the detective. "The bolt is drawn."

"But I bolted it, sir!" exclaimed Benzig. "After the delivery men left the box of guinea pigs. I am sure I did so, for Mr. Valdan checked on it."

"Delivery men?" questioned Barth, of Cardona. "Who were they?"

"I have Benzig's complete statement here," declared the detective. "There was a wrong delivery of equipment yesterday; today the same men brought an unordered crate of guinea pigs. Shall I have Benzig repeat his statements?"

"No," snapped Barth, suddenly. "Remove these witnesses. We must examine this room at once."

POLICEMEN conducted Benzig and Crowder from the room. Barth closed the door and studied the bolt very closely. Cardona remarked that there were no finger prints. Barth shot the bolt and turned to the detective.

"Tell me about the delivery men," ordered Barth.

"Yesterday," stated the detective, referring to his notes, "several men showed up with three boxes that they said contained laboratory equipment. This is according to Benzig's testimony."

"I understand. Proceed."

"Benzig says he unbolted the outer door and let them in. Valdan had gone away; he had said nothing about the equipment. So Benzig went upstairs and asked Crowder. The servant knew nothing. Benzig returned and sent the men away with the boxes."

"I see. And they returned today?"

"Yes. With a crate of guinea pigs. Benzig let them put the crate in here. This is it - over here by the body."

"Why did Benzig accept the consignment of guinea pigs? Did he say?"

"Valdan used guinea pigs for some purpose. Had them around the laboratory. Benzig thought the shipment was O.K. - so he says."

Cardona expected another question from the commissioner. It did not come. With one of his abrupt changes of tack, Barth began to pace across the room. He stopped by the table. Cardona joined him, while Cranston remained quietly observant.

"Here's a box with two guinea pigs in it," declared the detective. "They're dead ones."

"Humph," grunted Barth, disinterested. "And this big box drawn out from under the table," added Cardona. "Nothing in it but a lot of lead pipe."

"Humph," repeated Barth.

"Folders in the filing cabinet drawer," added Cardona. "They're arranged according to numbers. One of them is missing. Number one hundred and eleven."

"Ah!" exclaimed Barth. "Did you question Benzig on that matter?"

"Yes," replied Cardona. "He said that Valdan had him arrange folders according to their numbers. That was about a month ago. The only trouble - and I checked on this by examining other drawers - is that a lot of numbers are missing."

"Why?"

"Benzig says they represented old experiments, formulas and so on. Valdan chucked a lot of them that were no use any more and left the s.p.a.ces blank."

"Then we can a.s.sume that number one hundred and eleven was destroyed with the others. That is, unless we can positively a.s.sure ourselves that something has been taken from this room. Did you question Benzig on that score?"

"Yes. He looked around while I was watching him. But he couldn't figure anything missing."

Lamont Cranston had strolled over to the table. He lifted the cover of the box that contained the two guinea pigs. Barth saw him and smiled indulgently. The commissioner was concerned with matters more important than dead guinea pigs.

"We must quiz Benzig and Crowder," decided Barth. "However, Cardona, we need a starting point. We must find it. If we could prove that something is missing from this little laboratory - something that we know should be here but -"

"You have already gained such proof," interposed Cranston, quietly, as he leaned above the box that held the two guinea pigs.

"What?" questioned Barth excitedly. "You say that something is missing, Cranston? What makes you believe so?"

"The testimony of the witnesses."

"But they knew of nothing that has been removed."

"On the contrary," remarked Cranston, turning toward the commissioner, "they were very specific in their statements. In fact, their arrival at this room was prompted by the disappearance of an object that should most certainly have been here."

"You mean -"

"The copy of the afternoon newspaper."

THE commissioner laughed. He seemed to take Cranston's remark as a jest. Then, recalling the importance of the case, he became serious.

"This is no time for trifles, Cranston," rebuked Barth. "Why should a murder have been committed over an afternoon newspaper? a.s.suming that some unknown person did remove the journal, how could thatact have aided him in his attack on Troxton Valdan?"

"The answer is quite simple," responded Cranston. "It is possible that Valdan, had he seen the newspaper, might have had some occasion for immediate alarm."

"What could that have been?"

"The headlines."

"You mean -"

"I mean," a.s.serted Cranston, firmly, "that the phrase 'death sleep' might have caught the eye of Troxton Valdan. That seeing it, the chemist might have instantly placed himself on guard."

"Absurd," interjected Barth. "Your imagination is tricking you, Cranston. There is no connection between that episode at Seth Tanning's apartment and this death of Troxton Valdan."

"No connection?" Cranston's lips formed a thin smile. "I must disagree with you, commissioner. I have just been examining the evidence that proves the very connection of which I have spoken."

"Where is it?" cried Barth, in excitement.

"Here," responded Cranston, tapping the cardboard box.

"Two dead guinea pigs?" barked Barth. "What is this, Cranston - a hoax? Two guinea pigs - dead ones - have nothing to do with murder."

"Two guinea pigs," repeated Cranston, "but not dead ones. Examine them more closely, commissioner.

Tell me, did you ever before observe dead animals that were on their feet - in a state that resembles suspended motion?"

Barth stared into the box. Cardona joined him and stared also. Cranston's even tones came in quiet regularity, while his companions studied the cavies in the box.

"The two guinea pigs," remarked the firm-faced millionaire, "are not dead. On the contrary" - the tone was unchanged, but the words came more slowly, drilling home the thought that they expressed - "on the contrary, those guinea pigs are paralyzed -"

As Cranston's voice paused, Joe Cardona came bobbing up from the cardboard box. His usually stolid face betrayed sudden excitement. The detective needed no more to complete the idea that Cranston had begun.

"He's right, commissioner!" exclaimed Joe. "The guinea pigs are paralyzed. Like those people were last night! It's the death sleep again!"

CHAPTER VII. FURTHER DEDUCTIONS.

ONE hour after Lamont Cranston's startling discovery, a taxicab pulled up in front of Troxton Valdan's home. A tall, long-faced man alighted, carrying a small bag. He was immediately accosted by the policeman on duty.

"Doctor Lagwood?" questioned the bluecoat.

"Yes," replied the arrival. "Where is the police commissioner?" "In the bas.e.m.e.nt laboratory," said the officer. "I'll take you there, sir."

Three men were in the little laboratory when Doctor Seton Lagwood arrived. Police Commissioner Barth, Detective Joe Cardona and Lamont Cranston were still upon the scene of the crime. Troxton Valdan's body remained in the spot where it had been discovered.

"I received your message, commissioner," stated Lagwood. "It was at the hospital when I arrived there. I was told that you had discovered new developments."

"We have," a.s.sured Barth.

"Is this another victim?" queried Lagwood, indicating Valdan's body.

"We are not sure," returned Barth. "Our examination has centered upon this cardboard box. Could you give us your opinion on these two guinea pigs, doctor?"

Lagwood brought the box into the light. He frowned in a quizzical manner. He lifted one of the guinea pigs and shifted the stiffened creature from hand to hand. At last, he replaced the guinea pig in the box.

"The condition of this rodent," declared the specialist, "bears a marked resemblance to that of my patients at the Talleyrand Hospital. These cavies certainly appear to be in a state of suspended animation. I cannot, however, state positively that they have succ.u.mbed to the same malady until after I have made a blood test."

"Ah!" exclaimed Barth. "You have found an unusual blood condition in the victims at the hospital?"

"I have discovered such traces," a.s.sured the physician. "I have also applied various methods of treatment.

But as yet, there has been no result. The victims are alive; their state of rigidity appears to be lessening. I hope for their recovery, that is all.

"So far, I have been unable to diagnose the exact nature of the malady. To some extent, it resembles Trypanosomiasis, the African sleeping sickness; or it might be an acute form of epidemic encepholitis, to which the term sleeping sickness is also applied. These diseases, however, show manifestations of lethargy or torpor, more than complete coma.

"Seth Tanning and the other three patients are in a marked state of catalepsy; they have a.s.sumed that unusual trance condition which, in past years, frequently led to burials of living persons, under the impression that they were dead.

"Most perplexing is the fact that this action was simultaneous. At first, I was inclined to believe that they were victims of general anaesthesia, a condition from which they should by now have recovered.

"This, commissioner, should give you a brief idea of the complications which I have encountered. I have hesitated to apply any one method of treatment in unlimited fashion. In fact, I am still experimenting with pharmaceutical preparations, in hopes that a mild dosage of one prescription may give indications of success.

"These cavies" - Lagwood smiled as he surveyed the two inert guinea pigs - "may prove to be the very subjects that I require for experiment. I can take risks with them that I would not consider in the case of my human patients. First, the tests. If they coincide with my findings in the hospital, I may be able to find the solution to the problem."

IT was plain to the listeners that Doctor Lagwood was forgetful of crime in his hope of medical progress.

He viewed the guinea pigs as an important discovery because they might aid his work at the hospital. Itwas Commissioner Barth who brought the physician's attention back to the important question of the present.