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168 Frank's sharp challenge. "Do you own it?"

Frank's eye flashed with manifest resentment at Wacker's cool effrontery.

"See here," he said pretty firmly, "I have no time to waste answering idle and impertinent questions," and turned away from the door.

"Well, I'd seen it before, that's all," muttered Wacker.

"Oh, I fancy not," said Frank.

"Oh, yes, I did. Huh! guess I did—I was with the fellow who first made it when he got it up."

Frank was surprised. He must have shown it to the keen-eyed fellow quizzing him, for Wacker exclaimed:

"Aha—interested now, hain't you? Tell you something more: the owner made me a duplicate of his original puzzle, and—there it is."

And to Frank's amazement Mr. Dale Wacker pulled from his pocket a crude copy of the wire puzzle.

It was the exact counterpart of the one Markham had furnished as a model for those now being sold broadcast by Frank's Mail Order House.