"There is no danger of that, Sam," reassured Justice Higginbotham. "That has been that way since I came up here; that is about thirty-five years. I and others have expressed uneasiness over the position of that rock, but there is no danger. When--er soon, I shall have it cleared away." Vasiliewski burst out: "Professor, we're sitting here talking of everything except that which is uppermost in our minds. We are trying to mask our feelings. You know what we are all thinking of. Is there any hope, Professor." Professor Brierly answered slowly, gravely. "I have reason to believe that we will solve this--problem shortly. Habits of a lifetime prevent me from being more specific. I have learned, and paid dearly for learning, that jumping at conclusions may often prove disastrous. That is why I am not given to making guesses, surmises. I wish I could say something more definite." "My God, Professor, do you mean to say that you suspect--" Professor Brierly shook his head regretfully and was about to speak when Vasiliewski impulsively interrupted. "But can't you see, Professor, that this is not a cold scientific problem, that our lives are at stake. This is a human problem, Professor." "Assuming, Mr. Vasiliewski, that I took your view of it. Persons are prone to regard me as a thinking machine. I am not. Let us assume, I say, that I took your view of it. Just see what might happen. I might accuse the wrong man. We might even convict the wrong man. The guilty man might then go on, doing incalculable evil. Guessing is dangerous and is--fallible. Scientific induction and deductions, conclusions based on irrefutable fact, fact that can be weighed and measured, is infallible." There was real concern in his eyes as he rose to depart. "All I can say, gentlemen, is that I shall be able to free you from the terrible thing you fear in a very short time now." To the scores of press representatives who hounded him for a statement he resolutely turned a deaf ear. He was besieged by a constant horde of visitors. The news hunters realized that where Professor Brierly was, was the real source of news. It had been necessary to divulge the part he had taken in the three murders. He would have denied himself to callers, either personal or to those calling on the telephone, but this was now impossible. He might miss now an important communication bearing on the murders or, what for the time was to him more important, the kidnapping. The search went on relentlessly, the police of all the near--by cities and states taking part in the search. It soon began to be felt that the kidnapping was closely tied up with the murders of the octogenarians. It was at the request of the survivors of the Tontine group that Justice Higginbotham's camp was not molested. It was readily seen that constant surveillance by the press and police would be a highly undesirable and perhaps a very dangerous thing for the ten aged survivors.