The coroner examined the letters closely and returned the sheath to Strange.
"There can scarcely be any doubt as to the ownership of the knife," he agreed.
"What progress are your men making with their search?" demanded the major.
"The men have gone over the house twice without success," declared Strange. "O'Brill and Muldoon are now on the roof and the other men are searching the adjoining houses."
"And have they found no evidence of any person having been in this house?"
"No one except Berjet and the valet."
"Dr. Rane, what do you think of this affair?" questioned Dobson impatiently. "We are progressing too slowly to please me. Have you any suggestions to offer?"
"I think it might help us if Mr. Deweese would describe in the most minute detail exactly what happened to him," returned Rane. "There is much of his story that has yet to be cleared up."
"Mr. Deweese," said Dobson, turning to the artist, "suppose you recount the details of your attack in your own way, and then, if necessary, we will question you."
Deweese had entirely recovered from his shock by this time and seemed eager to be of aid.
"On my way home from the theater," he began, "I stopped near the corner lamp, less than half a block away, to light a cigarette. As I was striking a match I heard a terrific crash of breaking glass behind me, and at once ran back to see what had happened. I found this gentleman"—nodding at Peret—"bending over the body of a man on the pavement. The body has since been identifed as that of Max Berjet. Mr. Peret declared that the scientist had been murdered, and, at his bidding, I went to the drug store on the other side of the street to summon aid.
"While a clerk was 'phoning for the police I returned to the scene of the tragedy accompanied by the druggist and Dr. Sprague, who happened to be in the store at the time. Dr. Sprague examined and pronounced Berjet dead. Mr. Peret then informed the doctor that he was a detective and requested him to remain with the body until the police arrived, so he could make a preliminary investigation in the house. This Dr. Sprague agreed to do, and Mr. Peret ran across the pavement and jumped the fence in front of Berjet's house.
"I was standing a few feet away, talking with the druggist, and saw everything that followed. At the very instant that Mr. Peret leaped over the fence, I heard Dr. Sprague scream and saw him throw out his hands as if to grapple with something. He was standing by Berjet's body at the time. He appeared to have been attacked by some powerful and ferocious Thing, which I could not see, and I sprang forward to go to his assistance. It was then that I heard the whispering sound and felt the Thing hurl itself upon me.
"I could see nothing, but I felt my throat caught in a viselike grip and my chest crushed between two opposing forces. I cried out once, and then my breath was shut off. I threw out my hands to grapple with the unseen Thing, but there appeared to be nothing to grapple with. My hands came in contact with nothing but air.
"Yet all of this while I could feel the monster crushing my life out. The terrible grip on my throat kept pressing my head back, inch by inch, and the pressure around my body seemed on the point of caving my ribs in. Everything went black before me, and I could feel myself losing consciousness. Calling to my aid every ounce of strength I possessed, I made a last desperate effort to free myself of the Thing, and just as I
