"All right, Doctor," replied Casey as he mounted the truck beside the driver. "Where do we go, Doctor?" asked Carnes as the truck rolled off. "To the Blackstone Hotel for a bath and some clean clothes," replied the doctor. "And now, what is the news you have for me?" "The news is this, Doctor. I carried out your instructions diligently and, during the daylight hours, the lions have not moved." * * * * * Dr. Bird looked contrite. "I beg your pardon, Carnes," he said. "I really didn't think when I left you so mystified how you must have felt. Believe me, I had my own reasons, excellent ones, for secrecy." "I have usually been able to maintain silence when asked to," replied Carnes stiffly. "My dear fellow, I didn't mean to question your discretion. I know that whatever I tell you is safe, but there are angles to this affair that are so weird and improbable that I don't dare to trust my own conclusions, let alone share them. I'll tell you all about it soon. Did you get those tickets I wired for?" "Of course I got them, but what have two tickets to the A. A. U. track meet this afternoon got to do with a bank robbery?" "One trouble with you, Carnes," replied the doctor with a judicial air, "is that you have no idea of the importance of proper relaxation. Is it possible that you have no desire to see Ladd, this new marvel who is smashing records right and left, run? He performs for the Illinois Athletic Club this afternoon, and it would not surprise me to see him lower the world's record again. He has already lowered the record for the hundred yard dash from nine and three-fifths to eight and four-fifths. There is no telling what he will do." "Are we going to waste the whole afternoon just to watch a man run?" demanded Carnes in disgust. "We will see many men run, my dear fellow, but there is only one in whom I have a deep abiding interest, and that is Mr. Ladd. Have you your binoculars with you?" "No." "Then by all means beg, borrow or steal two pairs before this afternoon. We might easily miss half the fun without them. Are our seats near the starting line for the sprints?" "Yes. The big demand was for seats near the finish line." "The start will be much more interesting, Carnes. I was somewhat of a minor star in track myself in my college days and it will be of the greatest interest to me to observe the starting form of this new speed artist. Now Carnes, don't ask any more questions. I may be barking up the wrong tree and I don't want to give you a chance to laugh at me. I'll tell you what to watch for at the track." * * * * * The sprinters lined up on the hundred yard mark and Dr. Bird and Carnes sat with their glasses glued to their eyes watching the slim figure in the colors of the Illinois Athletic Club, whose large "62" on his back identified him as the new star. "On your mark!" cried the starter. "Get set!" "Ah!" cried Dr. Bird. "Did you see that Carnes?"