Albert Payson Terhune

Brice, a secret service agent, seeks information regarding stolen silver which disappeared from the government in 1804. Hade and Milo seek the fortune for themselves, as do the "conches" natives of Florida since the time the money was buried. Claire, half sister of Milo, falls in love with Brice, who is captured by Milo and Hade and taken to an island where he is to be killed.

In attempting to develop a chemical which would make a person super-intelligent, Dr. Montrose fails and the subjects of his experiments metamorphose into hideous monsters who band together and prey on humans. With the police stymied, a young detective attempts to track down the leader of the group of killers, known only to have a small crimson stain in one eye.

Brice, a secret service agent, seeks information regarding stolen silver which disappeared from the government in 1804. Hade and Milo seek the fortune for themselves, as do the "conches" natives of Florida since the time the money was buried. Claire, half sister of Milo, falls in love with Brice, who is captured by Milo and Hade and taken to an island where he is to be killed.

In attempting to develop a chemical which would make a person super-intelligent, Dr. Montrose fails and the subjects of his experiments metamorphose into hideous monsters who band together and prey on humans. With the police stymied, a young detective attempts to track down the leader of the group of killers, known only to have a small crimson stain in one eye.