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Rh Haven had designated to Frank the day that Markham made his sensational dive into the cistern.

He was not dressed as jauntily as on that occasion. His appearance was shabby and unkempt now. He slouched up to the door with a sneak-thief air, yet withal the brass and eiffrontery of a person possessed of few fine sensibilities.

"Say," spoke Wacker to Frank, "you run this shop?"

"I'm interested in this business, yes," answered Frank distantly.

"Pretty good graft? Looking for some such fake myself. What I wanted to know, though, was about one of your samples in the show case out there."

"Well?" demanded Frank.

"That wire puzzle."

"What about it?"

"Where did you run across it?"

Frank did not like the speech nor manner of his visitor.

"Is that particularly any of your business?" he asked.

"Why, you see, just curious about it, that's all," stammered Wacker, somewhat taken aback at