He seemed suddenly to have aged.
"You have done your best, Mr.Quest," he said, "but Fate has been too strong.

Remember this, though.

It is quite true that the cunning of Hartoo may have made it possible for him to have stolen the skeleton and to have brought it back to its hiding-place, but it was jealousy--cruel, brutal, foul jealousy which smeared the walls of that hut with kerosene and set a light to it.

The work of a lifetime, my dreams of scientific immortality, have vanished in those flames." He turned slowly away from them and re-entered the house.

Quest and Lenora made their way down the avenue and entered the automobile which was waiting for them, almost in silence.