Periodically, Jim had gone out to visit it. That was how he had come to invest in a private plane. It was only an hour to the flying-fields, and less than an hour from there to Peconic Bay. What he expected to achieve he did not know. In the back of his mind was the belief that some day he would light upon some clue that would tell something of the unusual catastrophe. And then that afternoon he had been shaken to the depths when a message came to him in Lucille's voice over the telephone: "I've heard from dad!" * * * * * Winging his way eastward through the storm, Jim Dent was mentally reconstructing all that had led up to the present moment. Lucille had finished her high school course and gone into business life. Jim had found a position for her as secretary to a small group of physicists, who were conducting private investigations, a position for which her training well fitted her. She had done well. He had kept in touch with her. Six months before, their relations had altered. They had realized that they were in love with each other. In the months that followed they had discovered all sorts of things about each other that neither had suspected, which might be summed up by saying that they had become all in all to each other. It was so amazing, this transformation of ordinary friendship into radiant love, that they were still bewildered over it. They were to be married at the end of the year. It was then that Lucille had first told Jim about Lucius's wooing, and her fear of the man. Apart from that, both had refrained, by tacit agreement, from making reference to the past. And then, that afternoon, there sounded Lucille's voice over the telephone, "I've heard from dad!" "From--your father? You're mistaken, dear!" "No, Jim, I'm not mistaken. He called me on the 'phone two hours ago. I couldn't mistake his voice, and, besides, he called me "Lucy," like he used to do. He told me to come at once to the Vanishing Place, but not to tell a soul unless I wished to do him a great evil. Then he rang off." "Where are you now?" asked Jim. "I'm 'phoning from Amityville. I took the train immediately, but I was so frightened, and--and at last I decide I must tell you. I didn't think dad would have minded my telling you. So I got out. There's another train in a few minutes, and I shall go on to Hampton Bays and walk the two miles to the Vanishing Place. I--I'll meet you there." "Lucille, wait! Can't you meet me somewhere else, and we'll go on together. I'll get my plane and--" "Oh, I just can't wait, Jim! I'm in such terror that I won't find dad when I get there. And he told me to tell nobody. I--I'll meet you at the Vanishing Place, Jim." And so great had been her agitation that with that arrangement Jim had had to rest content. He had taken a taxi out to the flying fields at once. * * * * *