,,the ,,craig ,,kennedy ,,series ,,the ,,dream ,,doctor ,,by ,,arthur ,b4 ,,reeve ,,frontispiece ,,by ,,will ,,foster ,contents ,,chapter ,i ,the ,dream ,doctor ,,ii ,the ,soul ,analysis ,,iii ,the ,sybarite ,,iv ,the ,beauty ,shop ,v ,the ,phantom ,circuit ,,vi ,the ,detectaphone ,,vii ,the ,green ,curse ,,viii ,the ,mummy ,case ,,ix ,the ,elixir of ,life ,x ,the ,toxin of ,death ,,xi ,the ,opium ,joint ,,xii ,the 8,dope ,trust0 ,,xiii ,the ,kleptomaniac ,,xiv ,the ,crimeometer ,,xv ,the ,vampire ,,xvi ,the ,blood ,test ,,xvii ,the ,bomb ,maker ,,xviii ,the 8,coke0 ,fiend ,,xix ,the ,submarine ,mystery ,,xx ,the ,wireless ,detector ,,xxi ,the ,ghouls ,,xxii ,the ,x-,ray 8,movies0 ,,xxiii ,the ,death ,house ,,xxiv ,the ,final ,day ,,the ,,dream ,,doctor ,i ,,the ,,dream ,,doctor 8,jameson1 ,i want you to get the real story about that friend of yours1 ,professor ,kennedy10 announced the managing editor of the ,star1 early one afternoon when ,i had been summoned into the sanctum4 ,from a batch of letters that had accumulated in the litter on the top of his desk1 he selected one and glanced over it hurriedly4 8,for instance10 he went on reflectively1 8here's a letter from a ,constant ,reader who asks1 #8,is this ,professor ,craig ,kennedy really all that you say he is1 and1 if so1 how can ,i find out about his new scientific detective method8'0 ,he paused and tipped back his chair4 8,now1 ,i don't want to file these letters in the waste basket4 ,when people write letters to a newspaper1 it means something4 ,i might reply1 in this case1 that he is as real as science1 as real as the fight of society against the criminal4 ,but ,i want to do more than that40 ,the editor had risen1 as if shaking himself momentarily loose from the ordinary routine of the office4 8,you get me80 he went on1 enthusiastically1 8,in other words1 your assignment1 ,jameson1 for the next month is to do nothing except follow your friend ,kennedy4 ,start in right now1 on the first1 and cross-section out of his life just one month1 an average month4 ,take things just as they come1 set them down just as they happen1 and when you get through give me an intimate picture of the man and his work40 ,he picked up the schedule for the day and ,i knew that the interview was at an end4 ,i was to 8get0 ,kennedy4 ,often ,i had written snatches of ,craig's adventures1 but never before anything as ambitious as this assignment1 for a whole month4 ,at first it staggered me4 ,but the more ,i thought about it1 the better ,i liked it4 ,i hastened uptown to the apartment on the ,heights which ,kennedy and ,i had occupied for some time4 ,i say we occupied it4 ,we did so during those hours when he was not at his laboratory at the ,chemistry ,building on the ,university campus1 or working on one of those cases which fascinated him4 ,fortunately1 he happened to be there as ,i burst in upon him4 8,well80 he queried absently1 looking up from a book1 one of the latest untranslated treatises on the new psychology from the pen of the eminent scientist1 ,dr4 ,freud of ,vienna1 8what brings you uptown so early80 ,briefly as ,i could1 ,i explained to him what it was that ,i proposed to do4 ,he listened without comment and ,i rattled on1 determined not to allow him to negative it4 8,and10 ,i added1 warming up to the subject1 8,i think ,i owe a debt of gratitude to the managing editor4 ,he has crystallised in my mind an idea that has long been latent4 ,why1 ,craig10 ,i went on1 8that is exactly what you want--to show people how they can never hope to beat the modern scientific detective1 to show that the crime-hunters have gone ahead faster even than--0 ,the telephone tinkled insistently4 ,without a word1 ,kennedy motioned to me to 8listen in0 on the extension on my desk1 which he had placed there as a precaution so that ,i could corroborate any conversation that took place over our wire4 ,his action was quite enough to indicate to me that1 at least1 he had no objection to the plan4 8,this is ,dr4 ,leslie--the coroner4 ,can you come to the ,municipal ,hospital--right away80 8,right away1 ,doctor10 answered ,craig1 hanging up the receiver4 8,walter1 you'll come1 too80 ,a quarter of an hour later we were in the courtyard of the city's largest hospital4 ,in the balmy sunshine the convalescing patients were sitting on benches or slowly trying their strength1 walking over the grass1 clad in faded hospital bathrobes4 ,we entered the office and quickly were conducted by an orderly to a little laboratory in a distant wing4 8,what's the matter80 asked ,craig1 as we hurried along4 8,i don't know exactly10 replied the man1 8except that it seems that ,price ,maitland1 the broker1 you know1 was picked up on the street and brought here dying4 ,he died before the doctors could relieve him40 ,dr4 ,leslie was waiting impatiently for us4 8,what do you make of that1 ,professor ,kennedy80 ,the coroner spread out on the table before us a folded half-sheet of typewriting and searched ,craig's face eagerly to see what impression it made on him4 8,we found it stuffed in ,maitland's outside coat pocket10 he explained4 ,it was dateless and brief3 ,dearest ,madeline3 ,may ,god in his mercy forgive me for what ,i am about to do4 ,i have just seen ,dr4 ,ross4 ,he has told me the nature of your illness4 ,i cannot bear to think that ,i am the cause1 so ,i am going simply to drop out of your life4 ,i cannot live with you1 and ,i cannot live without you4 ,do not blame me4 ,always think the best you can of me1 even if you could not give me all4 ,good-bye4 ,your distracted husband1 ,,price4 ,at once the idea flashed over me that ,maitland had found himself suffering from some incurable disease and had taken the quickest means of settling his dilemma4 ,kennedy looked up suddenly from the note4 8,do you think it was a suicide80 asked the coroner4 8,suicide80 ,craig repeated4 8,suicides don't usually write on typewriters4 ,a hasty note scrawled on a sheet of paper in trembling pen or pencil1 that is what they usually leave4 ,no1 some one tried to escape the handwriting experts this way40 8,exactly my idea10 agreed ,dr4 ,leslie1 with evident satisfaction4 8,now listen4 ,maitland was conscious almost up to the last moment1 and yet the hospital doctors tell me they could not get a syllable of an ante-mortem statement from him40 8,you mean he refused to talk80 ,i asked4 8,no10 he replied2 8it was more perplexing than that ,even if the police had not made the usual blunder of arresting him for intoxication instead of sending him immediately to the hospital1 it would have made no difference4 ,the doctors simply could not have saved him1 apparently4 ,for the truth is1 ,professor ,kennedy1 we don't even know what was the matter with him40 ,dr4 ,leslie seemed much excited by the case1 as well he might be4 8,maitland was found reeling and staggering on ,broadway this morning10 continued the coroner4 8,perhaps the policeman was not really at fault at first for arresting him1 but before the wagon came ,maitland was speechless and absolutely unable to move a muscle40 ,dr4 ,leslie paused as he recited the strange facts1 then resumed3 8,his eyes reacted1 all right4 ,he seemed to want to speak1 to write1 but couldn't4 ,a frothy saliva dribbled from his mouth1 but he could not frame a word4 ,he was paralysed1 and his breathing was peculiar4 ,they then hurried him to the hospital as soon as they could4 ,but it was of no use40 ,kennedy was regarding the doctor keenly as he proceeded4 ,dr4 ,leslie paused again to emphasise what he was about to say4 8,here is another strange thing4 ,it may or may not be of importance1 but it is strange1 nevertheless4 ,before ,maitland died they sent for his wife4 ,he was still conscious when she reached the hospital1 could recognise her1 seemed to want to speak1 but could neither talk nor move4 ,it was pathetic4 ,she was grief-stricken1 of course4 ,but she did not faint4 ,she is not of the fainting kind4 ,it was what she said that impressed everyone4 #8,i knew it--,i knew it1' she cried4 ,she had dropped on her knees by the side of the bed4 #8,i felt it4 ,only the other night ,i had the horrible dream4 ,i saw him in a terrific struggle4 ,i could not see what it was--it seemed to be an invisible thing4 ,i ran to him--then the scene shifted4 ,i saw a funeral procession1 and in the casket ,i could see through the wood--his face--oh1 it was a warning6 ,it has come true4 ,i feared it1 even though ,i knew it was only a dream4 ,often ,i have had the dream of that funeral procession and always ,i saw the same face1 his face4 ,oh1 it is horrible--terrible6'0 ,it was evident that ,dr4 ,leslie at least was impressed by the dream4 8,what have you done since80 asked ,craig4 8,i have turned loose everyone ,i could find available10 replied ,dr4 ,leslie1 handing over a sheaf of reports4 ,kennedy glanced keenly over them as they lay spread out on the table4 8,i should like to see the body10 he said1 at length4 ,it was lying in the next room1 awaiting ,dr4 ,leslie's permission to be removed4 8,at first10 explained the doctor1 leading the way1 8we thought it might be a case of knock-out drops1 chloral1 you know--or perhaps chloral and whiskey1 a combination which might unite to make chloroform in the blood4 ,but no4 ,we have tested for everything we can think of4 ,in fact there seems to be no trace of a drug present4 ,it is inexplicable4 ,if ,maitland really committed suicide1 he must have taken ,,something--and as far as we can find out there is no trace of anything4 ,as far as we have gone we have always been forced back to the original idea that it was a natural death--perhaps due to shock of some kind1 or organic weakness40 ,kennedy had thoughtfully raised one of the lifeless hands and was examining it4 8,not that10 he corrected4 8,even if the autopsy shows nothing1 it doesn't prove that it was a natural death4 ,look60 ,on the back of the hand was a tiny1 red1 swollen mark4 ,dr4 ,leslie regarded it with pursed-up lips as though not knowing whether it was significant or not4 8,the tissues seemed to be thickly infiltrated with a reddish serum and the blood-vessels congested10 he remarked slowly4 8,there was a frothy mucus in the bronchial tubes4 ,the blood was liquid1 dark1 and didn't clot4 ,the fact of the matter is that the autopsical research revealed absolutely nothing but a general disorganisation of the blood-corpuscles1 a most peculiar thing1 but one the significance of which none of us here can fathom4 ,if it was poison that he took or that had been given to him1 it was the most subtle1 intangible1 elusive1 that ever came to my knowledge4 ,why1 there is absolutely no trace or clue--0 8,nor any use in looking for one in that way10 broke in ,kennedy decisively4 8,if we are to make any progress in this case1 we must look elsewhere than to an autopsy4 ,there is no clue beyond what you have found1 if ,i am right4 ,and ,i think ,i am right4 ,it was the venom of the cobra40 8,cobra venom80 repeated the coroner1 glancing up at a row of technical works4 8,yes4 ,no1 it's no use trying to look it up4 ,there is no way of verifying a case of cobra poisoning except by the symptoms4 ,it is not like any other poisoning in the world40 ,dr4 ,leslie and ,i looked at each other1 aghast at the thought of a poison so subtle that it defied detection4 8,you think he was bitten by a snake80 ,i blurted out1 half incredulous4 8,oh1 ,walter1 on ,broadway8 ,no1 of course not4 ,but cobra venom has a medicinal value4 ,it is sent here in small quantities for various medicinal purposes4 ,then1 too1 it would be easy to use it4 ,a scratch on the hand in the passing crowd1 a quick shoving of the letter into the pocket of the victim--and the murderer would probably think to go undetected40 ,we stood dismayed at the horror of such a scientific murder and the meagreness of the materials to work on in tracing it out4 8,that dream was indeed peculiar10 ruminated ,craig1 before we had really grasped the import of his quick revelation4 8,you don't mean to say that you attach any importance to a dream80 ,i asked hurriedly1 trying to follow him4 ,kennedy merely shrugged his shoulders1 but ,i could see plainly enough that he did4 8,you haven't given this letter out to the press80 he asked4 8,not yet10 answered ,dr4 ,leslie4 8,then don't1 until ,i say to do so4 ,i shall need to keep it40 ,the cab in which we had come to the hospital was still waiting4 8,we must see ,mrs4 ,maitland first10 said ,kennedy1 as we left the nonplused coroner and his assistants4 ,the ,maitlands lived1 we soon found1 in a large old-fashioned brownstone house just off ,fifth ,avenue4 ,kennedy's card with the message that it was very urgent brought us in as far as the library1 where we sat for a moment looking around at the quiet refinement of a more than well-to-do home4 ,on a desk at one end of the long room was a typewriter4 ,kennedy rose4 ,there was not a sound of any one in either the hallway or the adjoining rooms4 ,a moment later he was bending quietly over the typewriter in the corner1 running off a series of characters on a sheet of paper4 ,a sound of a closing door upstairs1 and he quickly jammed the paper into his pocket1 retraced his steps1 and was sitting quietly opposite me again4 ,mrs4 ,maitland was a tall1 perfectly formed woman of baffling age1 but with the impression of both youth and maturity which was very fascinating4 ,she was calmer now1 and although she seemed to be of anything but a hysterical nature1 it was quite evident that her nervousness was due to much more than the shock of the recent tragic event1 great as that must have been4 ,it may have been that ,i recalled the words of the note1 8,dr4 ,ross has told me the nature of your illness10 but ,i fancied that she had been suffering from some nervous trouble4 8,there is no use prolonging our introduction1 ,mrs4 ,maitland10 began ,kennedy4 8,we have called because the authorities are not yet fully convinced that ,mr4 ,maitland committed suicide40 ,it was evident that she had seen the note1 at least4 8,not a suicide80 she repeated1 looking from one to the other of us4 8,mr4 ,masterson on the wire1 ma'am10 whispered a maid4 8,do you wish to speak to him8 ,he begged to say that he did not wish to intrude1 but he felt that if there--0 8,yes1 ,i will talk to him--in my room10 she interrupted4 ,i thought that there was just a trace of well-concealed confusion1 as she excused herself4 ,we rose4 ,kennedy did not resume his seat immediately4 ,without a word or look he completed his work at the typewriter by abstracting several blank sheets of paper from the desk4 ,a few moments later ,mrs4 ,maitland returned1 calmer4 8,in his note10 resumed ,kennedy1 8he spoke of ,dr4 ,ross and--0 8,oh10 she cried1 8can't you see ,dr4 ,ross about it8 ,really ,i--,i oughtn't to be--questioned in this way--not now1 so soon after what ,i've had to go through40 ,it seemed that her nerves were getting unstrung again4 ,kennedy rose to go4 8,later1 come to see me10 she pleaded4 8,but now--you must realise--it is too much4 ,i cannot talk--,i cannot40 8,mr4 ,maitland had no enemies that you know of80 asked ,kennedy1 determined to learn something now1 at least4 8,no1 no4 ,none that would--do that40 8,you had had no quarrel80 he added4 8,no--we never quarrelled4 ,oh1 ,price--why did you8 ,how could you80 ,her feelings were apparently rapidly getting the better of her4 ,kennedy bowed1 and we withdrew silently4 ,he had learned one thing4 ,she believed or wanted others to believe in the note4 ,at a public telephone1 a few minutes later1 ,kennedy was running over the names in the telephone book4 8,let me see--here's an ,arnold ,masterson10 he considered4 ,then turning the pages he went on1 8,now we must find this ,dr4 ,ross4 ,there--,dr4 ,sheldon ,ross--specialist in nerve diseases--that must be the one4 ,he lives only a few blocks further uptown40 ,handsome1 well built1 tall1 dignified1 in fact distinguished1 ,dr4 ,ross proved to be a man whose very face and manner were magnetic1 as should be those of one who had chosen his branch of the profession4 8,you have heard1 ,i suppose1 of the strange death of ,price ,maitland80 began ,kennedy when we were seated in the doctor's office4 8,yes1 about an hour ago40 ,it was evident that he was studying us4 8,mrs4 ,maitland1 ,i believe1 is a patient of yours80 8,yes1 ,mrs4 ,maitland is one of my patients10 he admitted interrogatively4 ,then1 as if considering that ,kennedy's manner was not to be mollified by anything short of a show of confidence1 he added3 8,she came to me several months ago4 ,i have had her under treatment for nervous trouble since then1 without a marked improvement40 8,and ,mr4 ,maitland10 asked ,kennedy1 8was he a patient1 too80 8,mr4 ,maitland10 admitted the doctor with some reticence1 8had called on me this morning1 but no1 he was not a patient40 8,did you notice anything unusual80 8,he seemed to be much worried10 ,dr4 ,ross replied guardedly4 ,kennedy took the suicide note from his pocket and handed it to him4 8,i suppose you have heard of this80 asked ,craig4 ,the doctor read it hastily1 then looked up1 as if measuring from ,kennedy's manner just how much he knew4 8,as nearly as ,i could make out10 he said slowly1 his reticence to outward appearance gone1 8,maitland seemed to have something on his mind4 ,he came inquiring as to the real cause of his wife's nervousness4 ,before ,i had talked to him long ,i gathered that he had a haunting fear that she did not love him any more1 if ever4 ,i fancied that he even doubted her fidelity40 ,i wondered why the doctor was talking so freely1 now1 in contrast with his former secretiveness4 8,do you think he was right80 shot out ,kennedy quickly1 eying ,dr4 ,ross keenly4 8,no1 emphatically1 no2 he was not right10 replied the doctor1 meeting ,craig's scrutiny without flinching4 8,mrs4 ,maitland10 he went on more slowly as if carefully weighing every word1 8belongs to a large and growing class of women in whom1 to speak frankly1 sex seems to be suppressed4 ,she is a very handsome and attractive woman--you have seen her8 ,yes8 ,you must have noticed1 though1 that she is really frigid1 cold1 intellectual40 ,the doctor was so sharp and positive about his first statement and so careful in phrasing the second that ,i1 at least1 jumped to the conclusion that ,maitland might have been right1 after all4 ,i imagined that ,kennedy1 too1 had his suspicions of the doctor4 8,have you ever heard of or used cobra venom in any of your medical work80 he asked casually4 ,dr4 ,ross wheeled in his chair1 surprised4 8,why1 yes10 he replied quickly4 8,you know that it is a test for blood diseases1 one of the most recently discovered and used parallel to the old tests4 ,it is known as the ,weil cobra-venom test40 8,do you use it often80 8,n--no10 he replied4 8,my practice ordinarily does not lie in that direction4 ,i used it not long ago1 once1 though4 ,i have a patient under my care1 a well-known club-man4 ,he came to me originally--0 8,arnold ,masterson80 asked ,craig4 8,yes--how did you know his name80 8,guessed it10 replied ,craig laconically1 as if he knew much more than he cared to tell4 8,he was a friend of ,mrs4 ,maitland's1 was he not80 8,i should say not10 replied ,dr4 ,ross1 without hesitation4 ,he was quite ready to talk without being urged4 8,ordinarily10 he explained confidentially1 8professional ethics seals my lips1 but in this instance1 since you seem to know so much1 ,i may as well tell more40 ,i hardly knew whether to take him at his face value or not4 ,still he went on3 8,mrs4 ,maitland is1 as ,i have hinted at1 what we specialists would call a consciously frigid but unconsciously passionate woman4 ,as an intellectual woman she suppresses nature4 ,but nature does and will assert herself1 we believe4 ,often you will find an intellectual woman attracted unreasonably to a purely physical man--,i mean1 speaking generally1 not in particular cases4 ,you have read ,ellen ,key1 ,i presume8 ,well1 she expresses it well in some of the things she has written about affinities4 ,now1 don't misunderstand me10 he cautioned4 8,i am speaking generally1 not of this individual case40 ,i was following ,dr4 ,ross closely4 ,when he talked so1 he was a most fascinating man4 8,mrs4 ,maitland10 he resumed1 8has been much troubled by her dreams1 as you have heard1 doubtless4 ,the other day she told me of another dream4 ,in it she seemed to be attacked by a bull1 which suddenly changed into a serpent4 ,i may say that ,i had asked her to make a record of her dreams1 as well as other data1 which ,i thought might be of use in the study and treatment of her nervous troubles4 ,i readily surmised that not the dream1 but something else1 perhaps some recollection which it recalled1 worried her4 ,by careful questioning ,i discovered that it was--a broken engagement40 8,yes10 prompted ,kennedy4 8,the bull-serpent1 she admitted1 had a half-human face--the face of ,arnold ,masterson60 ,was ,dr4 ,ross desperately shifting suspicion from himself8 ,i asked4 8,very strange--very10 ruminated ,kennedy4 8,that reminds me again4 ,i wonder if you could let me have a sample of this cobra venom80 8,surely4 ,excuse me2 ,i'll get you some40 ,the doctor had scarcely shut the door when ,kennedy began prowling around quietly4 ,in the waiting-room1 which was now deserted1 stood a typewriter4 ,quickly ,craig ran over the keys of the machine until he had a sample of every character4 ,then he reached into drawer of the desk and hastily stuffed several blank sheets of paper into his pocket4 8,of course ,i need hardly caution you in handling this10 remarked ,dr4 ,ross1 as he returned4 8,you are as well acquainted as ,i am with the danger attending its careless and unscientific uses40 8,i am1 and ,i thank you very much10 said ,kennedy4 ,we were standing in the waiting-room4 8,you will keep me advised of any progress you make in the case80 the doctor asked4 8,it complicates1 as you can well imagine1 my treatment of ,mrs4 ,maitland40 8,i shall be glad to do so10 replied ,kennedy1 as we departed4 ,an hour later found us in a handsomely appointed bachelor apartment in a fashionable hotel overlooking the lower entrance to the ,park4 8,mr4 ,masterson1 ,i believe80 inquired ,kennedy1 as a slim1 debonair1 youngish-old man entered the room in which we had been waiting4 8,i am that same10 he smiled4 8,to what am ,i indebted for this pleasure80 ,we had been gazing at the various curios with which he had made the room a veritable den of the connoisseur4 8,you have evidently travelled considerably10 remarked ,kennedy1 avoiding the question for the time4 8,yes1 ,i have been back in this country only a few weeks10 ,masterson replied1 awaiting the answer to the first question4 8,i called10 proceeded ,kennedy1 8in the hope that you1 ,mr4 ,masterson1 might be able to shed some light on the rather peculiar case of ,mr4 ,maitland1 of whose death1 ,i suppose1 you have already heard40 8,i80 8,you have known ,mrs4 ,maitland a long time80 ignored ,kennedy4 8,we went to school together40 8,and were engaged1 were you not80 ,masterson looked at ,kennedy in ill-concealed surprise4 8,yes4 ,but how did you know that8 ,it was a secret--only between us two--,i thought4 ,she broke it off--not ,i40 8,she broke off the engagement80 prompted ,kennedy4 8,yes--a story about an escapade of mine and all that sort of thing1 you know--but1 by ,jove6 ,i like your nerve1 sir40 ,masterson frowned1 then added3 8,i prefer not to talk of that4 ,there are some incidents in a man's life1 particularly where a woman is concerned1 that are forbidden40 8,oh1 ,i beg pardon10 hastened ,kennedy1 8but1 by the way1 you would have no objection to making a statement regarding your trip abroad and your recent return to this country--subsequent to--ah--the incident which we will not refer to80 8,none whatever4 ,i left ,new ,york in #aijh1 disgusted with everything in general1 and life here in particular--0 8,would you object to jotting it down so that ,i can get it straight80 asked ,kennedy4 8,just a brief resume1 you know40 8,no4 ,have you a pen or a pencil80 8,i think you might as well dictate it2 it will take only a minute to run it off on the typewriter40 ,masterson rang the bell4 ,a young man appeared noiselessly4 8,wix10 he said1 8take this3 #8,i left ,new ,york in #aijh1 travelling on the ,continent1 mostly in ,paris1 ,vienna1 and ,rome4 ,latterly ,i have lived in ,london1 until six weeks ago1 when ,i returned to ,new ,york4' ,will that serve80 8,yes1 perfectly10 said ,kennedy1 as he folded up the sheet of paper which the young secretary handed to him4 8,thank you4 ,i trust you won't consider it an impertinence if ,i ask you whether you were aware that ,dr4 ,ross was ,mrs4 ,maitland's physician80 8,of course ,i knew it10 ,masterson replied frankly4 8,i have given him up for that reason1 although he does not know it yet4 ,i most strenuously object to being the subject of--what shall ,i call it8--his mental vivisection40 8,do you think he oversteps his position in trying to learn of the mental life of his patients80 queried ,craig4 8,i would rather say nothing further on that1 either10 replied ,masterson4 8,i was talking over the wire to ,mrs4 ,maitland a few moments ago1 giving her my condolences and asking if there was anything ,i could do for her immediately1 just as ,i would have done in the old days--only then1 of course1 ,i should have gone to her directly4 ,the reason ,i did not go1 but telephoned1 was because this ,ross seems to have put some ridiculous notions into her head about me4 ,now1 look here2 ,i don't want to discuss this4 ,i've told you more than ,i intended1 anyway40 ,masterson had risen4 ,his suavity masked a final determination to say no more4 ,,ii ,the ,soul ,analysis ,the day was far advanced after this series of very unsatisfactory interviews4 ,i looked at ,kennedy blankly4 ,we seemed to have uncovered so little that was tangible that ,i was much surprised to find that apparently he was well contented with what had happened in the case so far4 8,i shall be busy for a few hours in the laboratory1 ,walter10 he remarked1 as we parted at the subway4 8,i think1 if you have nothing better to do1 that you might employ the time in looking up some of the gossip about ,mrs4 ,maitland and ,masterson1 to say nothing of ,dr4 ,ross10 he emphasised4 8,drop in after dinner40 ,there was not much that ,i could find4 ,of ,mrs4 ,maitland there was practically nothing that ,i already did not know from having seen her name in the papers4 ,she was a leader in a certain set which was devoting its activities to various social and moral propaganda4 ,masterson's early escapades were notorious even in the younger smart set in which he had moved1 but his years abroad had mellowed the recollection of them4 ,he had not distinguished himself in any way since his return to set gossip afloat1 nor had any tales of his doings abroad filtered through to ,new ,york clubland4 ,dr4 ,ross1 ,i found to my surprise1 was rather better known than ,i had supposed1 both as a specialist and as a man about town4 ,he seemed to have risen rapidly in his profession as physician to the ills of society's nerves4 ,i was amazed after dinner to find ,kennedy doing nothing at all4 8,what's the matter80 ,i asked4 8,have you struck a snag80 8,no10 he replied slowly1 8,i was only waiting4 ,i told them to be here between half-past eight and nine40 8,who80 ,i queried4 8,dr4 ,leslie10 he answered4 8,he has the authority to compel the attendance of ,mrs4 ,maitland1 ,dr4 ,ross1 and ,masterson40 ,the quickness with which he had worked out a case which was1 to me1 one of the most inexplicable he had had for a long time1 left me standing speechless4 ,one by one they dropped in during the next half-hour1 and1 as usual1 it fell to me to receive them and smooth over the rough edges which always obtruded at these little enforced parties in the laboratory4 ,dr4 ,leslie and ,dr4 ,ross were the first to arrive4 ,they had not come together1 but had met at the door4 ,i fancied ,i saw a touch of professional jealousy in their manner1 at least on the part of ,dr4 ,ross4 ,masterson came1 as usual ignoring the seriousness of the matter and accusing us all of conspiring to keep him from the first night of a light opera which was opening4 ,mrs4 ,maitland followed1 the unaccustomed pallor of her face heightened by the plain black dress4 ,i felt most uncomfortable1 as indeed ,i think the rest did4 ,she merely inclined her head to ,masterson1 seemed almost to avoid the eye of ,dr4 ,ross1 glared at ,dr4 ,leslie1 and absolutely ignored me4 ,craig had been standing aloof at his laboratory table1 beyond a nod of recognition paying little attention to anything4 ,he seemed to be in no hurry to begin4 8,great as science is10 he commenced1 at length1 8it is yet far removed from perfection4 ,there are1 for instance1 substances so mysterious1 subtle1 and dangerous as to set the most delicate tests and powerful lenses at naught1 while they carry death most horrible in their train40 ,he could scarcely have chosen his opening words with more effect4 8,chief among them10 he proceeded1 8are those from nature's own laboratory4 ,there are some sixty species of serpents1 for example1 with deadly venom4 ,among these1 as you doubtless have all heard1 none has brought greater terror to mankind than the cobra-di-capello1 the ,naja tripudians of ,india4 ,it is unnecessary for me to describe the cobra or to say anything about the countless thousands who have yielded up their lives to it4 ,i have here a small quantity of the venom0--he indicated it in a glass beaker4 8,it was obtained in ,new ,york1 and ,i have tested it on guinea-pigs4 ,it has lost none of its potency40 ,i fancied that there was a feeling of relief when ,kennedy by his actions indicated that he was not going to repeat the test4 8,this venom10 he continued1 8dries in the air into a substance like small scales1 soluble in water but not in alcohol4 ,it has only a slightly acrid taste and odour1 and1 strange to say1 is inoffensive on the tongue or mucous surfaces1 even in considerable quantities4 ,all we know about it is that in an open wound it is deadly swift in action40 ,it was difficult to sit unmoved at the thought that before us1 in only a few grains of the stuff1 was enough to kill us all if it were introduced into a scratch of our skin4 8,until recently chemistry was powerless to solve the enigma1 the microscope to detect its presence1 or pathology to explain the reason for its deadly effect4 ,and even now1 about all we know is that autopsical research reveals absolutely nothing but the general disorganisation of the blood corpuscles4 ,in fact1 such poisoning is best known by the peculiar symptoms--the vertigo1 weak legs1 and falling jaw4 ,the victim is unable to speak or swallow1 but is fully sensible4 ,he has nausea1 paralysis1 an accelerated pulse at first followed rapidly by a weakening1 with breath slow and laboured4 ,the pupils are contracted1 but react to the last1 and he dies in convulsions like asphyxia4 ,it is both a blood and a nerve poison40 ,as ,kennedy proceeded1 ,mrs4 ,maitland never took her large eyes from his face4 ,kennedy now drew from a large envelope in which he protected it1 the typewritten note which had been found on ,maitland4 ,he said nothing about the 8suicide0 as he quietly began a new line of accumulating evidence4 8,there is an increasing use of the typewriting machine for the production of spurious papers10 he began1 rattling the note significantly4 8,it is partly due to the great increase in the use of the typewriter generally1 but more than all is it due to the erroneous idea that fraudulent typewriting cannot be detected4 ,the fact is that the typewriter is perhaps a worse means of concealing identity than is disguised handwriting4 ,it does not afford the effective protection to the criminal that is supposed4 ,on the contrary1 the typewriting of a fraudulent document may be the direct means by which it can be traced to its source4 ,first we have to determine what kind of machine a certain piece of writing was done with1 then what particular machine40 ,he paused and indicated a number of little instruments on the table4 8,for example10 he resumed1 8the ,lovibond tintometer tells me its story of the colour of the ink used in the ribbon of the machine that wrote this note as well as several standard specimens which ,i have been able to obtain from three machines on which it might have been written4 8,that leads me to speak of the quality of the paper in this half-sheet that was found on ,mr4 ,maitland4 ,sometimes such a half-sheet may be mated with the other half from which it was torn as accurately as if the act were performed before your eyes4 ,there was no such good fortune in this case1 but by measurements made by the vernier micrometer caliper ,i have found the precise thickness of several samples of paper as compared to that of the suicide note4 ,i need hardly add that in thickness and quality1 as well as in the tint of the ribbon1 the note points to person as the author40 ,no one moved4 8,and there are other proofs--unescapable10 ,kennedy hurried on4 8,for instance1 ,i have counted the number of threads to the inch in the ribbon1 as shown by the letters of this note4 ,that also corresponds to the number in one of the three ribbons40 ,kennedy laid down a glass plate peculiarly ruled in little squares4 8,this10 he explained1 8is an alignment test plate1 through which can be studied accurately the spacing and alignment of typewritten characters4 ,there are in this pica type ten to the inch horizontally and six to the inch vertically4 ,that is usual4 ,perhaps you are not acquainted with the fact that typewritten characters are in line both ways1 horizontally and vertically4 ,there are nine possible positions for each character which may be assumed with reference to one of these little standard squares of the test plate4 ,you cannot fail to appreciate what an immense impossibility there is that one machine should duplicate the variations out of the true which the microscope detects for several characters on another4 8,not only that1 but the faces of many letters inevitably become broken1 worn1 battered1 as well as out of alignment1 or slightly shifted in their position on the type bar4 ,the type faces are not flat1 but a little concave to conform to the roller4 ,there are thousands of possible divergences1 scars1 and deformities in each machine4 8,such being the case10 he concluded1 8typewriting has an individuality like that of the ,bertillon system1 finger-prints1 or the portrait parle40 ,he paused1 then added quickly3 8,what machine was it in this case8 ,i have samples here from that of ,dr4 ,boss1 from a machine used by ,mr4 ,masterson's secretary1 and from a machine which was accessible to both ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,maitland40 ,kennedy stopped1 but he was not yet prepared to relieve the suspense of two of those whom his investigation would absolve4 8,just one other point10 he resumed mercilessly1 8a point which a few years ago would have been inexplicable--if not positively misleading and productive of actual mistake4 ,i refer to the dreams of ,mrs4 ,maitland40 ,i had been expecting it1 yet the words startled me4 ,what must they have done to her8 ,but she kept admirable control of herself4 8,dreams used to be treated very seriously by the ancients1 but until recently modern scientists1 rejecting the ideas of the dark ages1 have scouted dreams4 ,to-day1 however1 we study them scientifically1 for we believe that whatever is1 has a reason4 ,dr4 ,ross1 ,i think1 is acquainted with the new and remarkable theories of ,dr4 ,sigmund ,freud1 of ,vienna80 ,dr4 ,ross nodded4 8,i dissent vigorously from some of ,freud's conclusions10 he hastened4 8,let me state them first10 resumed ,craig4 8,dreams1 says ,freud1 are very important4 ,they give us the most reliable information concerning the individual4 ,but that is only possible0--,kennedy emphasised the point--8if the patient is in entire rapport with the doctor4 8,now1 the dream is not an absurd and senseless jumble1 but a perfect mechanism and has a definite meaning in penetrating the mind4 ,it is as though we had two streams of thought1 one of which we allow to flow freely1 the other of which we are constantly repressing1 pushing back into the subconscious1 or unconscious4 ,this matter of the evolution of our individual mental life is too long a story to bore you with at such a critical moment4 8,but the resistances1 the psychic censors of our ideas1 are always active1 except in sleep4 ,then the repressed material comes to the surface4 ,but the resistances never entirely lose their power1 and the dream shows the material distorted4 ,seldom does one recognise his own repressed thoughts or unattained wishes4 ,the dream really is the guardian of sleep to satisfy the activity of the unconscious and repressed mental processes that would otherwise disturb sleep by keeping the censor busy4 ,in the case of a nightmare the watchman or censor is aroused1 finds himself overpowered1 so to speak1 and calls on consciousness for help4 8,there are three kinds of dreams--those which represent an unrepressed wish as fulfilled1 those that represent the realisation of a repressed wish in an entirely concealed form1 and those that represent the realisation of a repressed wish in a form insufficiently or only partially concealed4 8,dreams are not of the future1 but of the past1 except as they show striving for unfulfilled wishes4 ,whatever may be denied in reality we nevertheless can realise in another way--in our dreams4 ,and probably more of our daily life1 conduct1 moods1 beliefs than we think1 could be traced to preceding dreams40 ,dr4 ,ross was listening attentively1 as ,craig turned to him4 8,this is perhaps the part of ,freud's theory from which you dissent most strongly4 ,freud says that as soon as you enter the intimate life of a patient you begin to find sex in some form4 ,in fact1 the best indication of abnormality would be its absence4 ,sex is one of the strongest of human impulses1 yet the one subjected to the greatest repression4 ,for that reason it is the weakest point in our cultural development4 ,in a normal life1 he says1 there are no neuroses4 ,let me proceed now with what the ,freudists call the psychanalysis1 the soul analysis1 of ,mrs4 ,maitland40 ,it was startling in the extreme to consider the possibilities to which this new science might lead1 as he proceeded to illustrate it4 8,mrs4 ,maitland10 he continued1 8your dream of fear was a dream of what we call the fulfilment of a suppressed wish4 ,moreover1 fear always denotes a sexual idea underlying the dream4 ,in fact1 morbid anxiety means surely unsatisfied love4 ,the old ,greeks knew it4 ,the gods of fear were born of the goddess of love4 ,consciously you feared the death of your husband because unconsciously you wished it40 ,it was startling1 dramatic1 cruel1 perhaps1 merciless--this dissecting of the soul of the handsome woman before us2 but it had come to a point where it was necessary to get at the truth4 ,mrs4 ,maitland1 hitherto pale1 was now flushed and indignant4 ,yet the very manner of her indignation showed the truth of the new psychology of dreams1 for1 as ,i learned afterward1 people often become indignant when the ,freudists strike what is called the 8main complex40 8,there are other motives just as important10 protested ,dr4 ,boss4 8,here in ,america the money motive1 ambition--0 8,let me finish10 interposed ,kennedy4 8,i want to consider the other dream also4 ,fear is equivalent to a wish in this sort of dream4 ,it also1 as ,i have said1 denotes sex4 ,in dreams animals are usually symbols4 ,now1 in this second dream we find both the bull and the serpent1 from time immemorial1 symbols of the continuing of the life-force4 ,dreams are always based on experiences or thoughts of the day preceding the dreams4 ,you1 ,mrs4 ,maitland1 dreamed of a man's face on these beasts4 ,there was every chance of having him suggested to you4 ,you think you hate him4 ,consciously you reject him2 unconsciously you accept him4 ,any of the new psychologists who knows the intimate connection between love and hate1 would understand how that is possible4 ,love does not extinguish hate2 or hate1 love4 ,they repress each other4 ,the opposite sentiment may very easily grow40 ,the situation was growing more tense as he proceeded4 ,was not ,kennedy actually taxing her with loving another8 8,the dreamer10 he proceeded remorselessly1 8is always the principal actor in a dream1 or the dream centres about the dreamer most intimately4 ,dreams are personal4 ,we never dream about matters that really concern others1 but ourselves4 8,years ago10 he continued1 8you suffered what the new psychologists call a #8psychic trauma'--a soul-wound4 ,you were engaged1 but your censored consciousness rejected the manner of life of your fiance4 ,in pique you married ,price ,maitland4 ,but you never lost your real1 subconscious love for another40 ,he stopped1 then added in a low tone that was almost inaudible1 yet which did not call for an answer1 8,could you--be honest with yourself1 for you need say not a word aloud--could you always be sure of yourself in the face of any situation80 ,she looked startled4 ,her ordinarily inscrutable face betrayed everything1 though it was averted from the rest of us and could be seen only by ,kennedy4 ,she knew the truth that she strove to repress2 she was afraid of herself4 8,it is dangerous10 she murmured1 8to be with a person who pays attention to such little things4 ,if every one were like you1 ,i would no longer breathe a syllable of my dreams40 ,she was sobbing now4 ,what was back of it all8 ,i had heard of the so-called resolution dreams4 ,i had heard of dreams that kill1 of unconscious murder1 of the terrible acts of the subconscious somnambulist of which the actor has no recollection in the waking state until put under hypnotism4 ,was it that which ,kennedy was driving at disclosing8 ,dr4 ,ross moved nearer to ,mrs4 ,maitland as if to reassure her4 ,craig was studying attentively the effect of his revelation both on her and on the other faces before him4 ,mrs4 ,maitland1 her shoulders bent with the outpouring of the long-suppressed emotion of the evening and of the tragic day1 called for sympathy which1 ,i could see1 ,craig would readily give when he had reached the climax he had planned4 8,kennedy10 exclaimed ,masterson1 pushing aside ,dr4 ,ross1 as he bounded to the side of ,mrs4 ,maitland1 unable to restrain himself longer1 8,kennedy1 you are a faker--nothing but a damned dream doctor--in scientific disguise40 8,perhaps10 replied ,craig1 with a quiet curl of the lip4 8,but the threads of the typewriter ribbon1 the alignment of the letters1 the paper1 all the #8fingerprints' of that type-written note of suicide were those of the machine belonging to the man who caused the soul-wound1 who knew ,madeline ,maitland's inmost heart better than herself--because he had heard of ,freud undoubtedly1 when he was in ,vienna--who knew that he held her real love still1 who posed as a patient of ,dr4 ,ross to learn her secrets as well as to secure the subtle poison of the cobra4 ,that man1 perhaps1 merely brushed against ,price ,maitland in the crowd1 enough to scratch his hand with the needle1 shove the false note into his pocket--anything to win the woman who he knew loved him1 and whom he could win4 ,masterson1 you are that man60 ,the next half hour was crowded kaleidoscopically with events--the call by ,dr4 ,leslie for the police1 the departure of the ,coroner with ,masterson in custody1 and the efforts of ,dr4 ,ross to calm his now almost hysterical patient1 ,mrs4 ,maitland4 ,then a calm seemed to settle down over the old laboratory which had so often been the scene of such events1 tense with human interest4 ,i could scarcely conceal my amazement1 as ,i watched ,kennedy quietly restoring to their places the pieces of apparatus he had used4 8,what's the matter80 he asked1 catching my eye as he paused with the tintometer in his hand4 8,why10 ,i exclaimed1 8that's a fine way to start a month6 ,here's just one day gone and you've caught your man4 ,are you going to keep that up8 ,if you are--,i'll quit and skip to ,february4 ,i'll choose the shortest month1 if that's the pace60 8,any month you please10 he smiled grimly1 as he reluctantly placed the tintometer in its cabinet4 ,there was no use4 ,i knew that any other month would have been just the same4 8,well10 ,i replied weakly1 8all ,i can hope is that every day won't be as strenuous as this has been4 ,i hope1 at least1 you will give me time to make some notes before you start off again40 8,can't say10 he answered1 still busy returning paraphernalia to its accustomed place4 8,i have no control over the cases as they come to me--except that ,i can turn down those that don't interest me40 8,then10 ,i sighed wearily1 8turn down the next one4 ,i must have rest4 ,i'm going home to sleep40 8,very well10 he said1 making no move to follow me4 ,i shook my head doubtfully4 ,it was impossible to force a card on ,kennedy4 ,instead of showing any disposition to switch off the laboratory lights1 he appeared to be regarding a row of half-filled test-tubes with the abstraction of a man who has been interrupted in the midst of an absorbing occupation4 8,good night10 ,i said at length4 8,good night10 he echoed mechanically4 ,i know that he slept that night--at least his bed had been slept in when ,i awoke in the morning4 ,but he was gone4 ,but then1 it was not unusual for him1 when the fever for work was on him1 to consider even five or fewer hours a night's rest4 ,it made no difference when ,i argued with him4 ,the fact that he thrived on it himself and could justify it by pointing to other scientists was refutation enough4 ,slowly ,i dressed1 breakfasted1 and began transcribing what ,i could from the hastily jotted down notes of the day before4 ,i knew that the work1 whatever it was1 in which he was now engaged must be in the nature of research1 dear to his heart4 ,otherwise1 he would have left word for me4 ,no word came from him1 however1 all day1 and ,i had not only caught up in my notes1 but1 my appetite whetted by our first case1 had become hungry for more4 ,in fact ,i had begun to get a little worried at the continued silence4 ,a hand on the knob of the door or a ring of the telephone would hare been a welcome relief4 ,i was gradually becoming aware of the fact that ,i liked the excitement of the life as much as ,kennedy did4 ,i knew it when the sudden sharp tinkle of the telephone set my heart throbbing almost as quickly as the little bell hammer buzzed4 8,jameson1 for ,heaven's sake find ,kennedy immediately and bring him over here to the ,novella ,beauty ,parlour4 ,we've got the worst case ,i've been up against in a long time4 ,dr4 ,leslie1 the coroner1 is here1 and says we must not make a move until ,kennedy arrives40 ,i doubt whether in all our long acquaintance ,i had ever heard ,first ,deputy ,o',connor more wildly excited and apparently more helpless than he seemed over the telephone that night4 8,what is it80 ,i asked4 8,never mind1 never mind4 ,find ,kennedy10 he called back almost brusquely4 8,it's ,miss ,blanche ,blaisdell1 the actress--she's been found dead here4 ,the thing is an absolute mystery4 ,now get him1 ,,get ,,him40 ,it was still early in the evening1 and ,kennedy had not come in1 nor had he sent any word to our apartment4 ,o',connor had already tried the laboratory4 ,as for myself1 ,i had not the slightest idea where ,craig was4 ,i knew the case must be urgent if both the deputy and the coroner were waiting for him4 ,still1 after half an hour's vigorous telephoning1 ,i was unable to find a trace of ,kennedy in any of his usual haunts4 ,in desperation ,i left a message for him with the hall-boy in case he called up1 jumped into a cab1 and rode over to the laboratory1 hoping that some of the care-takers might still be about and might know something of his whereabouts4 ,the janitor was able to enlighten me to the extent of telling me that a big limousine had called for ,kennedy an hour or so before1 and that he had left in great haste4 ,i had given it up as hopeless and had driven back to the apartment to wait for him1 when the hall-boy made a rush at me just as ,i was paying my fare4 8,mr4 ,kennedy on the wire1 sir10 he cried as he half dragged me into the hall4 8,walter10 almost shouted ,kennedy1 8,i'm over at the ,washington ,heights ,hospital with ,dr4 ,barron--you remember ,barron1 in our class at college8 ,he has a very peculiar case of a poor girl whom he found wandering on the street and brought here4 ,most unusual thing4 ,he came over to the laboratory after me in his car4 ,yes1 ,i have the message that you left with the hall-boy4 ,come up here and pick me up1 and we'll ride right down to the ,novella4 ,goodbye40 ,i had not stopped to ask questions and prolong the conversation1 knowing as ,i did the fuming impatience of ,o',connor4 ,it was relief enough to know that ,kennedy was located at last4 ,he was in the psychopathic ward with ,barron1 as ,i hurried in4 ,the girl whom he had mentioned over the telephone was then quietly sleeping under the influence of an opiate1 and they were discussing the case outside in the hall4 8,what do you think of it yourself80 ,barron was asking1 nodding to me to join them4 ,then he added for my enlightenment3 8,i found this girl wandering bareheaded in the street4 ,to tell the truth1 ,i thought at first that she was intoxicated1 but a good look showed me better than that4 ,so ,i hustled the poor thing into my car and brought her here4 ,all the way she kept crying over and over3 #8,look1 don't you see it8 ,she's afire6 ,her lips shine--they shine1 they shine4' ,i think the girl is demented and has had some hallucination40 8,too vivid for a hallucination10 remarked ,kennedy decisively4 8,it was too real to her4 ,even the opiate couldn't remove the picture1 whatever it was1 from her mind until you had given her almost enough to kill her1 normally4 ,no1 that wasn't any hallucination4 ,now1 ,walter1 ,i'm ready40 ,,iii ,,the ,,sybarite ,we found the ,novella ,beauty ,parlour on the top floor of an office-building just off ,fifth ,avenue on a side street not far from ,forty-second ,street4 ,a special elevator1 elaborately fitted up1 wafted us up with express speed4 ,as the door opened we saw a vista of dull-green lattices1 little gateways hung with roses1 windows of diamond-paned glass set in white wood1 rooms with little white enamelled manicure-tables and chairs1 amber lights glowing with soft incandescence in deep bowers of fireproof tissue flowers4 ,there was a delightful warmth about the place1 and the seductive scents and delicate odours betokened the haunt of the twentieth-century ,sybarite4 ,both ,o',connor and ,leslie1 strangely out of place in the enervating luxury of the now deserted beauty-parlour1 were still waiting for ,kennedy with a grim determination4 8,a most peculiar thing10 whispered ,o',connor1 dashing forward the moment the elevator door opened4 8,we can't seem to find a single cause for her death4 ,the people up here say it was a suicide1 but ,i never accept the theory of suicide unless there are undoubted proofs4 ,so far there have been none in this case4 ,there was no reason for it40 ,seated in one of the large easy-chairs of the reception-room1 in a corner with two of ,o',connor's men standing watchfully near1 was a man who was the embodiment of all that was nervous4 ,he was alternately wringing his hands and rumpling his hair4 ,beside him was a middle-sized1 middle-aged lady in a most amazing state of preservation1 who evidently presided over the cosmetic mysteries beyond the male ken4 ,she was so perfectly groomed that she looked as though her clothes were a mould into which she had literally been poured4 8,professor and ,madame ,millefleur--otherwise ,miller10--whispered ,o',connor1 noting ,kennedy's questioning gaze and taking his arm to hurry him down a long1 softly carpeted corridor1 flanked on either side by little doors4 8,they run the shop4 ,they say one of the girls just opened the door and found her dead40 ,near the end1 one of the doors stood open1 and before it ,dr4 ,leslie1 who had preceded us1 paused4 ,he motioned to us to look in4 ,it was a little dressing-room1 containing a single white-enamelled bed1 a dresser1 and a mirror4 ,but it was not the scant though elegant furniture that caused us to start back4 ,there under the dull half-light of the corridor lay a woman1 most superbly formed4 ,she was dark1 and the thick masses of her hair1 ready for the hairdresser1 fell in a tangle over her beautifully chiselled features and full1 rounded shoulders and neck4 ,a scarlet bathrobe1 loosened at the throat1 actually accentuated rather than covered the voluptuous lines of her figure1 down to the slender ankle which had been the beginning of her fortune as a danseuse4 ,except for the marble pallor of her face it was difficult to believe that she was not sleeping4 ,and yet there she was1 the famous ,blanche ,blaisdell1 dead--dead in the little dressing-room of the ,novella ,beauty ,parlour1 surrounded as in life by mystery and luxury4 ,we stood for several moments speechless1 stupefied4 ,at last ,o',connor silently drew a letter from his pocket4 ,it was written on the latest and most delicate of scented stationery4 8,it was lying sealed on the dresser when we arrived10 explained ,o',connor1 holding it so that we could not see the address4 8,i thought at first she had really committed suicide and that this was a note of explanation4 ,but it is not4 ,listen4 ,it is just a line or two4 ,it reads3 #8,am feeling better now1 though that was a great party last night4 ,thanks for the newspaper puff which ,i have just read4 ,it was very kind of you to get them to print it4 ,meet me at the same place and same time to-night4 ,your ,blanche4' ,the note was not stamped1 and was never sent4 ,perhaps she rang for a messenger4 ,at any rate1 she must have been dead before she could send it4 ,but it was addressed to--,burke ,collins40 8,burke ,collins60 exclaimed ,kennedy and ,i together in amazement4 ,he was one of the leading corporation lawyers in the country1 director in a score of the largest companies1 officer in half a dozen charities and social organisations1 patron of art and opera4 ,it seemed impossible1 and ,i at least did not hesitate to say so4 ,for answer ,o',connor simply laid the letter and envelope down on the dresser4 ,it seemed to take some time to convince ,kennedy4 ,there it was in black and white1 however1 in ,blanche ,blaisdell's own vertical hand4 ,try to figure it out as ,i could1 there seemed to be only one conclusion1 and that was to accept it4 ,what it was that interested him ,i did not know1 but finally he bent down and sniffed1 not at the scented letter1 but at the covering on the dresser4 ,when he raised his head ,i saw that he had not been looking at the letter at all1 but at a spot on the cover near it4 8,sn-ff1 sn-ff10 he sniffed1 thoughtfully closing his eyes as if considering something4 8,yes--oil of turpentine40 ,suddenly he opened his eyes1 and the blank look of abstraction that had masked his face was broken through by a gleam of comprehension that ,i knew flashed the truth to him intuitively4 8,turn out that light in the corridor10 he ordered quickly4 ,dr4 ,leslie found and turned the switch4 ,there we were alone1 in the now weird little dressing-room1 alone with that horribly lovely thing lying there cold and motionless on the little white bed4 ,kennedy moved forward in the darkness4 ,gently1 almost as if she were still the living1 pulsing1 sentient ,blanche ,blaisdell who had entranced thousands1 he opened her mouth4 ,a cry from ,o',connor1 who was standing in front of me1 followed4 8,what's that1 those little spots on her tongue and throat8 ,they glow4 ,it is the corpse light60 ,surely enough1 there were little luminous spots in her mouth4 ,i had heard somewhere that there is a phosphorescence appearing during decay of organic substances which once gave rise to the ancient superstition of 8corpse lights0 and the will-o'-the-wisp4 ,it was really due1 ,i knew1 to living bacteria4 ,but there surely had been no time for such micro-organisms to develop1 even in the almost tropic heat of the ,novella4 ,could she have been poisoned by these phosphorescent bacilli8 ,what was it--a strange new mouth-malady that had attacked this notorious adventuress and woman of luxury8 ,leslie had flashed up the light again before ,craig spoke4 ,we were all watching him keenly4 8,phosphorus1 phosphoric acid1 or phosphoric salve10 ,craig said slowly1 looking eagerly about the room as if in search of something that would explain it4 ,he caught sight of the envelope still lying on the dresser4 ,he picked it up1 toyed with it1 looked at the top where ,o',connor had slit it1 then deliberately tore the flap off the back where it had been glued in sealing the letter4 8,put the light out again10 he asked4 ,where the thin line of gum was on the back of the flap1 in the darkness there glowed the same sort of brightness that we had seen in a speck here and there on ,blanche ,blaisdell's lips and in her mouth4 ,the truth flashed over me4 ,some one had placed the stuff1 whatever it was1 on the flap of the envelope1 knowing that she must touch her lips to it to seal it ,she had done so1 and the deadly poison had entered her mouth4 ,as the light went up again ,kennedy added3 8,oil of turpentine removes traces of phosphorus1 phosphoric acid1 or phosphoric salve1 which are insoluble in anything else except ether and absolute alcohol4 ,some one who knew that tried to eradicate them1 but did not wholly succeed4 ,o',connor1 see if you can find either phosphorus1 the oil1 or the salve anywhere in the shop40 ,then as ,o',connor and ,leslie hurriedly disappeared he added to me3 8,another of those strange coincidences1 ,walter4 ,you remember the girl at the hospital8 #8,look1 don't you see it8 ,she's afire4 ,her lips shine--they shine1 they shine6'0 ,kennedy was still looking carefully over the room4 ,in a little wicker basket was a newspaper which was open at the page of theatrical news1 and as ,i glanced quickly at it ,i saw a most laudatory paragraph about her4 ,beneath the paper were some torn scraps4 ,kennedy picked them up and pieced them together4 8,dearest ,blanche10 they read4 8,i hope you're feeling better after that dinner last night4 ,can you meet me to-night8 ,write me immediately4 ,collie40 ,he placed the scraps carefully in his wallet4 ,there was nothing more to be done here apparently4 ,as we passed down the corridor we could hear a man apparently raving in good ,english and bad ,french4 ,it proved to be ,millefleur--or ,miller--and his raving was as overdone as that of a third-rate actor4 ,madame was trying to calm him4 8,henri1 ,henri1 don't go on so10 she was saying4 8,a suicide--in the ,novella4 ,it will be in all the papers4 ,we shall be ruined4 ,oh--oh60 8,here1 can that sob stuff10 broke in one of ,o',connor's officers4 8,you can tell it all when the chief takes you to headquarters1 see80 ,certainly the man made no very favourable impression by his actions4 ,there seemed to be much that was forced about them1 that was more incriminating than a stolid silence would have been4 ,between them ,monsieur and ,madame made out1 however1 to repeat to ,kennedy their version of what had happened4 ,it seemed that a note addressed to ,miss ,blaisdell had been left by some one on the desk in the reception-room4 ,no one knew who left it1 but one of the girls had picked it up and delivered it to her in her dressing-room4 ,a moment later she rang her bell and called for one of the girls named ,agnes1 who was to dress her hair4 ,agnes was busy1 and the actress asked her to get paper1 a pen1 and ink4 ,at least it seemed that way1 for ,agnes got them for her4 ,a few minutes later her bell rang again1 and ,agnes went down1 apparently to tell her that she was now ready to dress her hair4 ,the next thing any one knew was a piercing shriek from the girl4 ,she ran down the corridor1 still shrieking1 out into the reception-room and rushed into the elevator1 which happened to be up at the time4 ,that was the last they had seen of her4 ,the other girls saw ,miss ,blaisdell lying dead1 and a panic followed4 ,the customers dressed quickly and fled1 almost in panic4 ,all was confusion4 ,by that time a policeman had arrived1 and soon after ,o',connor and the coroner had come4 ,there was little use in cross-questioning the couple4 ,they had evidently had time to agree on the story2 that is1 supposing it were not true4 ,only a scientific third degree could have shaken them1 and such a thing was impossible just at that time4 ,from the line of ,kennedy's questions ,i could see that he believed that there was a hiatus somewhere in their glib story1 at least some point where some one had tried to eradicate the marks of the poison4 8,here it is4 ,we found it10 interrupted ,o',connor1 holding up in his excitement a bottle covered with black cloth to protect it from the light4 8,it was in the back of a cabinet in the operating-room1 and it is marked #8,ether phosphore'4 ,another of oil of turpentine was on a shelf in another cabinet4 ,both seem to have been used lately1 judging by the wetness of the bottoms of the glass stoppers40 8,ether phosphore1 phosphorated ether10 commented ,kennedy1 reading the label to himself4 8,a remedy from the ,french ,codex1 composed1 if ,i remember rightly1 of one part phosphorus and fifty parts sulphuric ether4 ,phosphorus is often given as a remedy for loss of nerve power1 neuralgia1 hysteria1 and melancholia4 ,in quantities from a fiftieth to a tenth or so of a grain free phosphorus is a renovator of nerve tissue and nerve force1 a drug for intense and long-sustained anxiety of mind and protracted emotional excitement--in short1 for fast living40 ,he uncorked the bottle1 and we tasted the stuff4 ,it was unpleasant and nauseous4 8,i don't see why it wasn't used in the form of pills4 ,the liquid form of a few drops on gum arabic is hopelessly antiquated40 ,the elevator door opened with a clang1 and a well-built1 athletic looking man of middle age with an acquired youngish look about his clothes and clean-shaven face stepped out4 ,his face was pale1 and his hand shook with emotion that showed that something had unstrung his usually cast-iron nerves4 ,i recognised ,burke ,collins at once4 ,in spite of his nervousness he strode forward with the air of a man accustomed to being obeyed1 to having everything done for him merely because he1 ,burke ,collins1 could afford to pay for it and it was his right4 ,he seemed to know whom he was seeking1 for he immediately singled out ,o',connor4 8,this is terrible1 terrible10 he whispered hoarsely4 8,no1 no1 no1 ,i don't want to see her4 ,i can't1 not yet4 ,you know ,i thought the world of that poor little girl4 ,only10 and here the innate selfishness of the man cropped out1 8only ,i called to ask you that nothing of my connection with her be given out4 ,you understand8 ,spare nothing to get at the truth4 ,employ the best men you have4 ,get outside help if necessary4 ,i'll pay for anything1 anything4 ,perhaps ,i can use some influence for you some day1 too4 ,but1 you understand--the scandal1 you know4 ,not a word to the newspapers40 ,at another time ,i feel sure that ,o',connor would have succumbed4 ,collins was not without a great deal of political influence1 and even a first deputy may be 8broke0 by a man with influence4 ,but now here was ,kennedy1 and he wished to appear in the best light4 ,he looked at ,craig4 8,let me introduce ,professor ,kennedy10 he said4 8,i've already called him in40 8,very happy to have the pleasure of meeting you10 said ,collins1 grasping ,kennedy's hand warmly4 8,i hope you will take me as your client in this case4 ,i'll pay handsomely4 ,i've always had a great admiration for your work1 and ,i've heard a great deal about it40 ,kennedy is1 if anything1 as impervious to blandishment as a stone1 as the ,blarney ,stone is itself1 for instance4 8,on one condition10 he replied slowly1 8and that is that ,i go ahead exactly as if ,i were employed by the city itself to get at the truth40 ,collins bit his lip4 ,it was evident that he was not accustomed to being met in this independent spirit4 8,very well10 he answered at last4 8,o',connor has called you in4 ,work for him and--well1 you know1 if you need anything just draw on me for it4 ,only if you can1 keep me out of it4 ,i'll tell everything ,i can to help you--but not to the newspapers40 ,he beckoned us outside4 8,those people in there10 he nodded his head back in the direction of the ,millefleurs1 8do you suspect them8 ,by ,george1 it does look badly for them1 doesn't it1 when you come to think of it8 ,well1 now1 you see1 ,i'm frank and confidential about my relations with ,blan--er--,miss ,blaisdell4 ,i was at a big dinner with her last night with a party of friends4 ,i suppose she came here to get straightened out4 ,i hadn't been able to get her on the wire to-day1 but at the theatre when ,i called up they told me what had happened1 and ,i came right over here4 ,now please remember1 do everything1 anything but create a scandal4 ,you realise what that would mean for me40 ,kennedy said nothing4 ,he simply laid down on the desk1 piece by piece1 the torn letter which he had picked up from the basket1 and beside it he spread out the reply which ,blanche had written4 8,what80 gasped ,collins as he read the torn letter4 8,i send that8 ,why1 man alive1 you're crazy4 ,didn't ,i just tell you ,i hadn't heard from her until ,i called up the theatre just now80 ,i could not make out whether he was lying or not when he said that he had not sent the note4 ,kennedy picked up a pen4 8,please write the same thing as you read in the note on this sheet of the ,novella paper4 ,it will be all right4 ,you have plenty of witnesses to that40 ,it must have irked ,collins even to have his word doubted1 but ,kennedy was no respecter of persons4 ,he took the pen and wrote4 8,i'll keep your name out of it as much as possible10 remarked ,kennedy1 glancing intently at the writing and blotting it4 8,thank you10 said ,collins simply1 for once in his life at a loss for words4 ,once more he whispered to ,o',connor1 then he excused himself4 ,the man was so obviously sincere1 ,i felt1 as far as his selfish and sensual limitations would permit1 that ,i would not have blamed ,kennedy for giving him much more encouragement than he had given4 ,kennedy was not through yet1 and now turned quickly again to the cosmetic arcadia which had been so rudely stirred by the tragedy4 8,who is this girl ,agnes who discovered ,miss ,blaisdell80 he shot out at the ,millefleurs4 ,the beauty-doctor was now really painful in his excitement4 ,like his establishment1 even his feelings were artificial4 8,agnes80 he repeated4 8,why1 she was one of ,madame's best hair-dressers4 ,see--my dear--show the gentlemen the book of engagements40 ,it was a large book full of girls' names1 each an expert in curls1 puffs1 8reinforcements10 hygienic rolls1 transformators1 and the numberless other things that made the fearful and wonderful hair-dresses of the day4 ,agnes's dates were full1 for a day ahead4 ,kennedy ran his eye over the list of patrons4 8,mrs4 ,burke ,collins1 #c3cj10 he read4 8,was she a patron1 too80 8,oh1 yes10 answered ,madame4 8,she used to come here three times a week4 ,it was not vanity4 ,we all knew her1 and we all liked her40 ,instantly ,i could read between the lines1 and ,i felt that ,i had been too charitable to ,burke ,collins4 ,here was the wife slaving to secure that beauty which would win back the man with whom she had worked and toiled in the years before they came to ,new ,york and success4 ,the 8other woman0 came here1 too1 but for a very different reason4 ,nothing but business seemed to impress ,millefleur1 however4 8,oh1 yes10 he volunteered1 8we have a fine class4 ,among my own patients ,i have ,hugh ,dayton1 the actor1 you know1 leading man in ,blanche ,blaisdell's company4 ,he is having his hair restored4 ,why1 ,i gave him a treatment this afternoon4 ,if ever there is a crazy man1 it is he4 ,i believe he would kill ,mr4 ,collins for the way ,blanche ,blaisdell treats him4 ,they were engaged--but1 oh1 well10 he gave a very good imitation of a ,french shrug1 8it is all over now4 ,neither of them will get her1 and ,i--,i am ruined4 ,who will come to the ,novella now80 ,adjoining ,millefleur's own room was the writing room from which the poisoned envelope had been taken to ,miss ,blaisdell4 ,over the little secretary was the sign1 8,no woman need be plain who will visit the ,novella10 evidently the motto of the place4 ,the hair-dressing room was next to the little writing-room4 ,there were manicure rooms1 steam-rooms1 massage-rooms1 rooms of all descriptions1 all bearing mute testimony to the fundamental instinct1 the feminine longing for personal beauty4 ,though it was late when ,kennedy had finished his investigation1 he insisted on going directly to his laboratory4 ,there he pulled out from a corner a sort of little square table on which was fixed a powerful light such as might be used for a stereopticon4 8,this is a simple little machine10 he explained1 as be pasted together the torn bits of the letter which he had fished out of the scrap-basket1 8which detectives use in studying forgeries4 ,i don't know that it has a name1 although it might be called a #8rayograph4' ,you see1 all you have to do is to lay the thing you wish to study flat here1 and the system of mirrors and lenses reflects it and enlarges it on a sheet40 ,he had lowered a rolled-up sheet of white at the opposite end of the room1 and there1 in huge characters1 stood forth plainly the writing of the note4 8,this letter10 he resumed1 studying the enlargement carefully1 8is likely to prove crucial4 ,it's very queer4 ,collins says he didn't write it1 and if he did he surely is a wonder at disguising his hand4 ,i doubt if any one could disguise what the rayograph shows4 ,now1 for instance1 this is very important4 ,do you see how those strokes of the long letters are--well1 wobbly8 ,you'd never see that in the original1 but when it is enlarged you see how plainly visible the tremors of the hand become8 ,try as you may1 you can't conceal them4 ,the fact is that the writer of this note suffered from a form of heart disease4 ,now let us look at the copy that ,collins made at the ,novella40 ,he placed the copy on the table of the rayograph4 ,it was quite evident that the two had been written by entirely different persons4 8,i thought he was telling the truth10 commented ,craig1 8by the surprised look on his face the moment ,i mentioned the note to ,miss ,blaisdell4 ,now ,i know he was4 ,there is no such evidence of heart trouble in his writing as in the other4 ,of course that's all aside from what a study of the handwriting itself might disclose4 ,they are not similar at all4 ,but there is an important clue there4 ,find the writer of that note who has heart trouble1 and we either have the murderer or some one close to the murderer40 ,i remembered the tremulousness of the little beauty-doctor1 his third-rate artificial acting of fear for the reputation of the ,novella1 and ,i must confess ,i agreed with ,o',connor and ,collins that it looked black for him4 ,at one time ,i had suspected ,collins himself1 but now ,i could see perfectly why he had not concealed his anxiety to hush up his connection with the case1 while at the same time his instinct as a lawyer1 and ,i had almost added1 lover1 told him that justice must be done4 ,i saw at once how1 accustomed as he was to weigh evidence1 he had immediately seen the justification for ,o',connor's arrest of the ,millefleurs4 8,more than that10 added ,kennedy1 after examining the fibres of the paper under a microscope1 8all these notes are written on the same kind of paper4 ,that first torn note to ,miss ,blaisdell was written right in the ,novella and left so as to seem to have been sent in from outside40 ,it was early the following morning when ,kennedy roused me with the remark3 8,i think ,i'll go up to the hospital4 ,do you want to come along8 ,we'll stop for ,barron on the way4 ,there is a little experiment ,i want to try on that girl up there40 ,when we arrived1 the nurse in charge of the ward told us that her patient had passed a fairly good night1 but that now that the influence of the drug had worn off she was again restless and still repeating the words that she had said over and over before4 ,nor had she been able to give any clearer account of herself4 ,apparently she had been alone in the city1 for although there was a news item about her in the morning papers1 so far no relative or friend had called to identify her4 ,kennedy had placed himself directly before her1 listening intently to her ravings4 ,suddenly he managed to fix her eye1 as if by a sort of hypnotic influence4 8,agnes60 he called in a sharp tone4 ,the name seemed to arrest her fugitive attention4 ,before she could escape from his mental grasp again he added3 8,your date-book is full4 ,aren't you going to the ,novella this morning80 ,the change in her was something wonderful to see4 ,it was as though she had come out of a trance4 ,she sat up in bed and gazed about blankly4 8,yes1 yes1 ,i must go10 she cried as if it were the most natural thing in the world4 ,then she realised the strange surroundings and faces4 8,where is my hat--wh-where am ,i8 ,what has happened80 8,you are all right10 soothed ,kennedy gently4 8,now rest4 ,try to forget everything for a little while1 and you will be all right4 ,you are among friends40 ,as ,kennedy led us out she fell back1 now physically exhausted1 on the pillow4 8,i told you1 ,barron10 he whispered1 8that there was more to this case than you imagined4 ,unwittingly you brought me a very important contribution to a case of which the papers are full this morning1 the case of the murdered actress1 ,blanche ,blaisdell40 ,,iv ,,the ,,beauty ,,shop ,it was only after a few hours that ,kennedy thought it wise to try to question the poor girl at the hospital4 ,her story was simple enough in itself1 but it certainly complicated matters considerably without throwing much light on the case4 ,she had been busy because her day was full1 and she had yet to dress the hair of ,miss ,blaisdell for her play that night4 ,several times she had been interrupted by impatient messages from the actress in her little dressing-booth1 and one of the girls had already demolished the previous hair-dressing in order to save time4 ,once ,agnes had run down for a few seconds to reassure her that she would be through in time4 ,she had found the actress reading a newspaper1 and when ,kennedy questioned her she remembered seeing a note lying on the dresser4 8,agnes10 ,miss ,blaisdell had said1 8will you go into the writing-room and bring me some paper1 a pen1 and ink8 ,i don't want to go in there this way4 ,there's a dear good girl40 ,agnes had gone1 though it was decidedly no part of her duty as one of the highest paid employes of the ,novella4 ,but they all envied the popular actress1 and were ready to do anything for her4 ,the next thing she remembered was finishing the coiffure she was working on and going to ,miss ,blaisdell4 ,there lay the beautiful actress4 ,the light in the corridor had not been lighted yet1 and it was dark4 ,her lips and mouth seemed literally to shine4 ,agnes called her1 but she did not move2 she touched her1 but she was cold4 ,then she screamed and fled4 ,that was the last she remembered4 8,the little writing-room10 reasoned ,kennedy as we left the poor little hair-dresser quite exhausted by her narrative1 8was next to the sanctum of ,millefleur1 where they found that bottle of ether phosphore and the oil of turpentine4 ,some one who knew of that note or perhaps wrote it must have reasoned that an answer would be written immediately4 ,that person figured that the note would be the next thing written and that the top envelope of the pile would be used4 ,that person knew of the deadly qualities of too much phosphorised ether1 and painted the gummed flap of the envelope with several grains of it4 ,the reasoning held good1 for ,agnes took the top envelope with its poisoned flap to ,miss ,blaisdell4 ,no1 there was no chance about that4 ,it was all clever1 quick reasoning40 8,but10 ,i objected1 8how about the oil of turpentine80 8,simply to remove the traces of the poison4 ,i think you will see why that was attempted before we get through40 ,kennedy would say no more1 but ,i was content because ,i could see that he was now ready to put his theories1 whatever they were1 to the final test4 ,he spent the rest of the day working at the hospital with ,dr4 ,barron1 adjusting a very delicate piece of apparatus down in a special room1 in the basement4 ,i saw it1 but ,i had no idea what it was or what its use might be4 ,close to the wall was a stereopticon which shot a beam of light through a tube to which ,i heard them refer as a galvanometer1 about three feet distant4 ,in front of this beam whirled a five-spindled wheel1 governed by a chronometer which erred only a second a day4 ,between the poles of the galvanometer was stretched a slender thread of fused quartz plated with silver1 only one one-thousandth of a millimetre in diameter1 so tenuous that it could not be seen except in a bright light4 ,it was a thread so slender that it might have been spun by a microscopic spider4 ,three feet farther away was a camera with a moving film of sensitised material1 the turning of which was regulated by a little flywheel4 ,the beam of light focused on the thread in the galvanometer passed to the photographic film1 intercepted only by the five spindles of the wheel1 which turned once a second1 thus marking the picture off into exact fifths of a second4 ,the vibrations of the microscopic quartz thread were enormously magnified on the sensitive film by a lens and resulted in producing a long zig-zag1 wavy line4 ,the whole was shielded by a wooden hood which permitted no light1 except the slender ray1 to strike it4 ,the film revolved slowly across the field1 its speed regulated by the flywheel1 and all moved by an electric motor4 ,i was quite surprised1 then1 when ,kennedy told me that the final tests which he was arranging were not to be held at the hospital at all1 but in his laboratory1 the scene of so many of his scientific triumphs over the cleverest of criminals4 ,while he and ,dr4 ,barren were still fussing with the machine he despatched me on the rather ticklish errand of gathering together all those who had been at the ,novella at the time and might possibly prove important in the case4 ,my first visit was to ,hugh ,dayton1 whom ,i found in his bachelor apartment on ,madison ,avenue1 apparently waiting for me4 ,one of ,o',connor's men had already warned him that any attempt to evade putting in an appearance when he was wanted would be of no avail4 ,he had been shadowed from the moment that it was learned that he was a patient of ,millefleur's and had been at the ,novella that fatal afternoon4 ,he seemed to realise that escape was impossible4 ,dayton was one of those typical young fellows1 tall1 with sloping shoulders and a carefully acquired ,english manner1 whom one sees in scores on ,fifth ,avenue late in the afternoon4 ,his face1 which on the stage was forceful and attractive1 was not prepossessing at close range4 ,indeed it showed too evident marks of excesses1 both physical and moral1 and his hand was none too steady4 ,still1 he was an interesting personality1 if not engaging4 ,i was also charged with delivering a note to ,burke ,collins at his office4 ,the purport of it was1 ,i knew1 a request couched in language that veiled a summons that ,mrs4 ,collins was of great importance in getting at the truth1 and that if he needed an excuse himself for being present it was suggested that he appear as protecting his wife's interests as a lawyer4 ,kennedy had added that ,i might tell him orally that he would pass over the scandal as lightly as possible and spare the feelings of both as much as he could4 ,i was rather relieved when this mission was accomplished1 for ,i had expected ,collins to demur violently4 ,those who gathered that night1 sitting expectantly in the little armchairs which ,kennedy's students used during his lectures1 included nearly every one who could cast any light on what had happened at the ,novella4 ,professor and ,madame ,millefleur were brought up from the house of detention1 to which both ,o',connor and ,dr4 ,leslie had insisted that they be sent4 ,millefleur was still bewailing the fate of the ,novella1 and ,madame had begun to show evidences of lack of the constant beautification which she was always preaching as of the utmost importance to her patrons4 ,agnes was so far recovered as to be able to be present1 though ,i noticed that she avoided the ,millefleurs and sat as far from them as possible4 ,burke ,collins and ,mrs4 ,collins arrived together4 ,i had expected that there would be an icy coolness if not positive enmity between them4 ,they were not exactly cordial1 though somehow ,i seemed to feel that now that the cause of estrangement was removed a tactful mutual friend might have brought about a reconciliation4 ,hugh ,dayton swaggered in1 his nervousness gone or at least controlled4 ,i passed behind him once1 and the odour that smote my olfactory sense told me too plainly that he had fortified himself with a stimulant on his way from the apartment to the laboratory4 ,of course ,o',connor and ,dr4 ,leslie were there1 though in the background4 ,it was a silent gathering1 and ,kennedy did not attempt to relieve the tension even by small talk as he wrapped the forearms of each of us with cloths steeped in a solution of salt4 ,upon these cloths he placed little plates of ,german silver to which were attached wires which led back of a screen4 ,at last he was ready to begin4 8,the long history of science10 he began as he emerged from behind the screen1 8is filled with instances of phenomena1 noted at first only for their beauty or mystery1 which have been later proved to be of great practical value to mankind4 ,a new example is the striking phenomenon of luminescence4 ,phosphorus1 discovered centuries ago1 was first merely a curiosity4 ,now it is used for many practical things1 and one of the latest uses is as a medicine4 ,it is a constituent of the body1 and many doctors believe that the lack of it causes1 and that its presence will cure1 many ills4 ,but it is a virulent and toxic drug1 and no physician except one who knows his business thoroughly should presume to handle it4 ,whoever made a practice of using it at the ,novella did not know his business1 or he would have used it in pills instead of in the nauseous liquid4 ,it is not with phosphorised ether as a medicine that we have to deal in this case4 ,it is with the stuff as a poison1 a poison administered by a demon40 ,craig shot the word out so that it had its full effect on his little audience4 ,then he paused1 lowered his voice1 and resumed on a new subject4 8,up in the ,washington ,heights ,hospital10 he went on1 8is an apparatus which records the secrets of the human heart4 ,that is no figure of speech1 but a cold scientific fact4 ,this machine records every variation of the pulsations of the heart with such exquisite accuracy that it gives ,dr4 ,barron1 who is up there now1 not merely a diagram of the throbbing organ of each of you seated here in my laboratory a mile away1 but a sort of moving-picture of the emotions by which each heart here is swayed4 ,not only can ,dr4 ,barron diagnose disease1 but he can detect love1 hate1 fear1 joy1 anger1 and remorse4 ,this machine is known as the ,einthoven #8string galvanometer1' invented by that famous ,dutch physiologist of ,leyden40 ,there was a perceptible movement in our little audience at the thought that the little wires that ran back of the screen from the arms of each were connected with this uncanny instrument so far away4 8,it is all done by the electric current that the heart itself generates10 pursued ,kennedy1 hammering home the new and startling idea4 8,that current is one of the feeblest known to science1 for the dynamo that generates it is no ponderous thing of copper wire and steel castings4 ,it is just the heart itself4 ,the heart sends over the wire its own telltale record to the machine which registers it4 ,the thing takes us all the way back to ,galvani1 who was the first to observe and study animal electricity4 ,the heart makes only one three-thousandth of a volt of electricity at each beat4 ,it would take over two hundred thousand men to light one of these incandescent lamps1 two million or more to run a trolley-car4 ,yet just that slight little current is enough to sway the gossamer strand of quartz fibre up there at what we call the #8heart station4' ,so fine is this machine that the pulse-tracings produced by the sphygmograph1 which ,i have used in other cases up to this time1 are clumsy and inexact40 ,again he paused as if to let the fear of discovery sink deep into the minds of all of us4 8,this current1 as ,i have said1 passes from each one of you in turn over a wire and vibrates a fine quartz fibre up there in unison with each heart here4 ,it is one of the most delicate bits of mechanism ever made1 beside which the hairspring of a watch is coarse4 ,each of you in turn1 is being subjected to this test4 ,more than that1 the record up there shows not only the beats of the heart but the successive waves of emotion that vary the form of those beats4 ,every normal individual gives what we call an #8electro-cardiogram1' which follows a certain type4 ,the photographic film on which this is being recorded is ruled so that at the heart station ,dr4 ,barron can read it4 ,there are five waves to each heart-beat1 which he letters ,p1 ,q1 ,r1 ,s1 and ,t1 two below and three above a base line on the film4 ,they have all been found to represent a contraction of a certain portion of the heart4 ,any change of the height1 width1 or time of any one of those lines shows that there is some defect or change in the contraction of that part of the heart4 ,thus ,dr4 ,barron1 who has studied this thing carefully1 can tell infallibly not only disease but emotion40 ,it seemed as if no one dared look at his neighbour1 as if all were trying vainly to control the beating of their own hearts4 8,now10 concluded ,kennedy solemnly as if to force the last secret from the wildly beating heart of some one in the room1 8it is my belief that the person who had access to the operating-room of the ,novella was a person whose nerves were run down1 and in addition to any other treatment that person was familiar with the ether phosphore4 ,this person knew ,miss ,blaisdell well1 saw her there1 knew she was there for the purpose of frustrating that person's own dearest hopes4 ,that person wrote her the note1 and knowing that she would ask for paper and an envelope in order to answer it1 poisoned the flap of the envelope4 ,phosphorus is a remedy for hysteria1 vexatious emotions1 want of sympathy1 disappointed and concealed affections--but not in the quantities that this person lavished on that flap4 ,whoever it was1 not life1 but death1 and a ghastly death1 was uppermost in that person's thoughts40 ,agnes screamed4 8,i saw him take something and rub it on her lips1 and the brightness went away4 ,i--,i didn't mean to tell1 but1 ,god help me1 ,i must40 8,saw whom80 demanded ,kennedy1 fixing her eye as he had when he had called her back from aphasia4 8,him--,millefleur--,miller10 she sobbed1 shrinking back as if the very confession appalled her4 8,yes10 added ,kennedy coolly1 8,miller did try to remove the traces of the poison after he discovered it1 in order to protect himself and the reputation of the ,novella40 ,the telephone bell tinkled4 ,craig seized the receiver4 8,yes1 ,barron1 this is ,kennedy4 ,you received the impulses all right8 ,good4 ,and have you had time to study the records8 ,yes8 ,what's that8 ,number seven8 ,all right4 ,i'll see you very soon and go over the records again with you4 ,good-bye40 8,one word more10 he continued1 now facing us4 8,the normal heart traces its throbs in regular rhythm4 ,the diseased or overwrought heart throbs in degrees of irregularity that vary according to the trouble that affects it1 both organic and emotional4 ,the expert like ,barron can tell what each wave means1 just as he can tell what the lines in a spectrum mean4 ,he can see the invisible1 hear the inaudible1 feel the intangible1 with mathematical precision4 ,barron has now read the electro-cardiograms4 ,each is a picture of the beating of the heart that made it1 and each smallest variation has a meaning to him4 ,every passion1 every emotion1 every disease1 is recorded with inexorable truth4 ,the person with murder in his heart cannot hide it from the string galvanometer1 nor can that person who wrote the false note in which the very lines of the letters betray a diseased heart hide that disease4 ,the doctor tells me that that person was number--0 ,mrs4 ,collins had risen wildly and was standing before us with blazing eyes4 8,yes10 she cried1 pressing her hands on her breast as if it were about to burst and tell the secret before her lips could frame the words1 8yes1 ,i killed her1 and ,i would follow her to the end of the earth if ,i had not succeeded4 ,she was there1 the woman who had stolen from me what was more than life itself4 ,yes1 ,i wrote the note1 ,i poisoned the envelope4 ,i killed her40 ,all the intense hatred that she had felt for that other woman in the days that she had vainly striven to equal her in beauty and win back her husband's love broke forth4 ,she was wonderful1 magnificent1 in her fury4 ,she was passion personified2 she was fate1 retribution4 ,collins looked at his wife1 and even he felt the spell4 ,it was not crime that she had done2 it was elemental justice4 ,for a moment she stood1 silent1 facing ,kennedy4 ,then the colour slowly faded from her cheeks4 ,she reeled4 ,collins caught her and imprinted a kiss1 the kiss that for years she had longed and striven for again4 ,she looked rather than spoke forgiveness as he held her and showered them on her4 8,before ,heaven10 ,i heard him whisper into her ear1 8with all my power as a lawyer ,i will free you from this40 ,gently ,dr4 ,leslie pushed him aside and felt her pulse as she dropped limply into the only easy chair in the laboratory4 8,o',connor10 he said at length1 8all the evidence that we really have hangs on an invisible thread of quartz a mile away4 ,if ,professor ,kennedy agrees1 let us forget what has happened here to-night4 ,i will direct my jury to bring in a verdict of suicide4 ,collins1 take good care of her40 ,he leaned over and whispered so she could not hear4 8,i wouldn't promise her six weeks otherwise40 ,i could not help feeling deeply moved as the newly reunited ,collinses left the laboratory together4 ,even the bluff deputy1 ,o',connor1 was touched by it and under the circumstances did what seemed to him his higher duty with a tact of which ,i had believed him scarcely capable4 ,whatever the ethics of the case1 he left it entirely to ,dr4 ,leslie's coroner's jury to determine4 ,burke ,collins was already making hasty preparations for the care of his wife so that she might have the best medical attention to prolong her life for the few weeks or months before nature exacted the penalty which was denied the law4 8,that's a marvellous piece of apparatus10 ,i remarked1 standing over the connections with the string galvanometer1 after all had gone4 8,just suppose the case had fallen into the hands of some of these old-fashioned detectives--0 8,i hate post-mortems--on my own cases10 interrupted ,kennedy brusquely4 8,to-morrow will be time enough to clear up this mess4 ,meanwhile1 let us get this thing out of our minds40 ,he clapped his hat on his head decisively and deliberately walked out of the laboratory1 starting off at a brisk pace in the moonlight across the campus to the avenue where now the only sound was the noisy rattle of an occasional trolley car4 ,how long we walked ,i do not know4 ,but ,i do know that for genuine relaxation after a long period of keen mental stress1 there is nothing like physical exercise4 ,we turned into our apartment1 roused the sleepy hall-boy1 and rode up4 8,i suppose people think ,i never rest10 remarked ,kennedy1 carefully avoiding any reference to the exciting events of the past two days4 8,but ,i do4 ,like every one else1 ,i have to4 ,when ,i am working hard on a case--well1 ,i have my own violent reaction against it--more work of a different kind4 ,others choose white lights1 red wines and blue feelings afterwards4 ,but ,i find1 when ,i reach that state1 that the best anti-toxin is something that will chase the last case from your brain by getting you in trim for the next unexpected event40 ,he had sunk into an easy chair where he was running over in his mind his own plans for the morrow4 8,just now ,i must recuperate by doing no work at all10 he went on slowly undressing4 8,that walk was just what ,i needed4 ,when the fever of dissipation comes on again1 ,i'll call on you4 ,you won't miss anything1 ,walter40 ,like the famous ,finnegan1 however1 he was on again and gone again in the morning4 ,this time ,i had no misgivings1 although ,i should have liked to accompany him1 for on the library table he had scrawled a little note1 8,studying ,east ,side to-day4 ,will keep in touch with you4 ,craig40 ,my daily task of transcribing my notes was completed and ,i thought ,i would run down to the ,star to let the editor know how ,i was getting along on my assignment4 ,i had scarcely entered the door when the office boy thrust a message into my hand4 ,it stopped me even before ,i had a chance to get as far as my own desk4 ,it was from ,kennedy at the laboratory and bore a time stamp that showed that it must have been received only a few minutes before ,i came in4 8,meet me at the ,grand ,central10 it read1 8immediately40 ,without going further into the office1 ,i turned and dropped down in the elevator to the subway4 ,as quickly as an express could take me1 ,i hurried up to the new station4 8,where away80 ,i asked breathlessly1 as ,craig met me at the entrance through which he had reasoned ,i would come4 8,the coast or ,down ,east80 8,woodrock10 he replied quickly1 taking my arm and dragging me down a ramp to the train that was just leaving for that fashionable suburb4 8,well10 ,i queried eagerly1 as the train started4 8,why all this secrecy80 8,i had a caller this afternoon10 he began1 running his eye over the other passengers to see if we were observed4 8,she is going back on this train4 ,i am not to recognise her at the station1 but you and ,i are to walk to the end of the platform and enter a limousine bearing that number40 ,he produced a card on the back of which was written a number in six figures4 ,mechanically ,i glanced at the name as he handed the card to me4 ,craig was watching intently the expression on my face as ,i read1 8,miss ,yvonne ,brixton40 8,since when were you admitted into society80 ,i gasped1 still staring at the name of the daughter of the millionaire banker1 ,john ,brixton4 8,she came to tell me that her father is in a virtual state of siege1 as it were1 up there in his own house10 explained ,kennedy in an undertone1 8so much so that1 apparently1 she is the only person he felt he dared trust with a message to summon me4 ,practically everything he says or does is spied on2 he can't even telephone without what he says being known40 8,siege80 ,i repeated incredulously4 8,impossible4 ,why1 only this morning ,i was reading about his negotiations with a foreign syndicate of bankers from southeastern ,europe for a ten-million-dollar loan to relieve the money stringency there4 ,surely there must be some mistake in all this4 ,in fact1 as ,i recall it1 one of the foreign bankers who is trying to interest him is that ,count ,wachtmann who1 everybody says1 is engaged to ,miss ,brixton1 and is staying at the house at ,woodrock4 ,craig1 are you sure nobody is hoaxing you80 8,read that10 he replied laconically1 handing me a piece of thin letter-paper such as is often used for foreign correspondence4 8,such letters have been coming to ,mr4 ,brixton1 ,i understand1 every day40 ,the letter was in a cramped foreign scrawl3 ,,john ,,brixton1 ,woodrock1 ,new ,york4 ,american dollars must not endanger the peace of ,europe4 ,be warned in time4 ,in the name of liberty and progress we have raised the standard of conflict without truce or quarter against reaction4 ,if you and the ,american bankers associated with you take up these bonds you will never live to receive the first payment of interest4 ,,the ,,red ,,brotherhood ,,of ,,the ,,balkans4 ,i looked up inquiringly4 8,what is the ,red ,brotherhood80 ,i asked4 8,as nearly as ,i can make out10 replied ,kennedy1 8it seems to be a sort of international secret society4 ,i believe it preaches the gospel of terror and violence in the cause of liberty and union of some of the peoples of southeastern ,europe4 ,anyhow1 it keeps its secrets well4 ,the identity of the members is a mystery1 as well as the source of its funds1 which1 it is said1 are immense40 8,and they operate so secretly that ,brixton can trust no one about him80 ,i asked4 8,i believe he is ill10 explained ,craig4 8,at any rate1 he evidently suspects almost every one about him except his daughter4 ,as nearly as ,i could gather1 however1 he does not suspect ,wachtmann himself4 ,miss ,brixton seemed to think that there were some enemies of the ,count at work4 ,her father is a secretive man4 ,even to her1 the only message he would entrust was that he wanted to see me immediately40 ,at ,woodrock we took our time in getting off the train4 ,miss ,brixton1 a tall1 dark-haired1 athletic girl just out of college1 had preceded us1 and as her own car shot out from the station platform we leisurely walked down and entered another bearing the number she had given ,kennedy4 ,we seemed to be expected at the house4 ,hardly had we been admitted through the door from the porte-cochere1 than we were led through a hall to a library at the side of the house4 ,from the library we entered another door1 then down a flight of steps which must have brought us below an open courtyard on the outside1 under a rim of the terrace in front of the house for a short distance to a point where we descended three more steps4 ,at the head of these three steps was a great steel and iron door with heavy bolts and a combination lock of a character ordinarily found only on a safe in a banking institution4 ,the door was opened1 and we descended the steps1 going a little farther in the same direction away from the side of the house4 ,then we turned at a right angle facing toward the back of the house but well to one side of it4 ,it must have been1 ,i figured out later1 underneath the open courtyard4 ,a few steps farther brought us to a fair-sized1 vaulted room4 ,v ,,the ,,phantom ,,circuit ,brixton had evidently been waiting impatiently for our arrival4 8,mr4 ,kennedy80 he inquired1 adding quickly without waiting for an answer3 8,i am glad to see you4 ,i suppose you have noticed the precautions we are taking against intruders8 ,yet it seems to be all of no avail4 ,i can not be alone even here4 ,if a telephone message comes to me over my private wire1 if ,i talk with my own office in the city1 it seems that it is known4 ,i don't know what to make of it4 ,it is terrible4 ,i don't know what to expect next40 ,brixton had been standing beside a huge mahogany desk as we entered4 ,i had seen him before at a distance as a somewhat pompous speaker at banquets and the cynosure of the financial district4 ,but there was something different about his looks now4 ,he seemed to have aged1 to have grown yellower4 ,even the whites of his eyes were yellow4 ,i thought at first that perhaps it might be the effect of the light in the centre of the room1 a huge affair set in the ceiling in a sort of inverted hemisphere of glass1 concealing and softening the rays of a powerful incandescent bulb which it enclosed4 ,it was not the light that gave him the altered appearance1 as ,i concluded from catching a casual confirmatory glance of perplexity from ,kennedy himself4 8,my personal physician says ,i am suffering from jaundice10 explained ,brixton4 ,rather than seeming to be offended at our notice of his condition he seemed to take it as a good evidence of ,kennedy's keenness that he had at once hit on one of the things that were weighing on ,brixton's own mind4 8,i feel pretty badly1 too4 ,curse it10 he added bitterly1 8coming at a time when it is absolutely necessary that ,i should have all my strength to carry through a negotiation that is only a beginning1 important not so much for myself as for the whole world4 ,it is one of the first times ,new ,york bankers have had a chance to engage in big dealings in that part of the world4 ,i suppose ,yvonne has shown you one of the letters ,i am receiving80 ,he rustled a sheaf of them which he drew from a drawer of his desk1 and continued1 not waiting for ,kennedy even to nod3 8,here are a dozen or more of them4 ,i get one or two every day1 either here or at my town house or at the office40 ,kennedy had moved forward to see them4 8,one moment more10 ,brixton interrupted1 still holding them4 8,i shall come back to the letters4 ,that is not the worst4 ,i've had threatening letters before4 ,have you noticed this room80 ,we had both seen and been impressed by it4 8,let me tell you more about it10 he went on4 8,it was designed especially to be1 among other things1 absolutely soundproof40 ,we gazed curiously about the strong room4 ,it was beautifully decorated and furnished4 ,on the walls was a sort of heavy1 velvety green wall-paper4 ,exquisite hangings were draped about1 and on the floor were thick rugs4 ,in all ,i noticed that the prevailing tint was green4 8,i had experiments carried out10 he explained languidly1 8with the object of discovering methods and means for rendering walls and ceilings capable of effective resistance to sound transmission4 ,one of the methods devised involved the use under the ceiling or parallel to the wall1 as the case might be1 of a network of wire stretched tightly by means of pulleys in the adjacent walls and not touching at any point the surface to be protected against sound4 ,upon the wire network is plastered a composition formed of strong glue1 plaster of ,paris1 and granulated cork1 so as to make a flat slab1 between which and the wall or ceiling is a cushion of confined air4 ,the method is good in two respects3 the absence of contact between the protective and protected surfaces and the colloid nature of the composition used4 ,i have gone into the thing at length because it will make all the more remarkable what ,i am about to tell you40 ,kennedy had been listening attentively4 ,as ,brixton proceeded ,i had noticed ,kennedy's nostrils dilating almost as if he were a hound and had scented his quarry4 ,i sniffed1 too4 ,yes1 there was a faint odour1 almost as if of garlic in the room4 ,it was unmistakable4 ,craig was looking about curiously1 as if to discover a window by which the odour might have entered4 ,brixton1 with his eyes following keenly every move1 noticed him4 8,more than that0 he added quickly1 8,i have had the most perfect system of modern ventilation installed in this room1 absolutely independent from that in the house40 ,kennedy said nothing4 8,a moment ago1 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,i saw you and ,mr4 ,jameson glancing up at the ceiling4 ,sound-proof as this room is1 or as ,i believe it to be1 ,i--,i hear voices1 voices from--not through1 you understand1 but from--that very ceiling4 ,i do not hear them now4 ,it is only at certain times when ,i am alone4 ,they repeat the words in some of these letters--#8,you must not take up those bonds4 ,you must not endanger the peace of the world4 ,you will never live to get the interest4' ,over and over ,i have heard such sentences spoken in this very room4 ,i have rushed out and up the corridor4 ,there has been no one there4 ,i have locked the steel door4 ,still ,i have heard the voices4 ,and it is absolutely impossible that a human being could get close enough to say them without my knowing and finding out where he is40 ,kennedy betrayed by not so much as the motion of a muscle even a shade of a doubt of ,brixton's incredible story4 ,whether because he believed it or because he was diplomatic1 ,craig took the thing at its face value4 ,he moved a blotter so that he could stand on the top of ,brixton's desk in the centre of the room4 ,then he unfastened and took down the glass hemisphere over the light4 8,it is an ,osram lamp of about a hundred candlepower1 ,i should judge10 he observed4 ,apparently he had satisfied himself that there was nothing concealed in the light itself4 ,laboriously1 with such assistance as the memory of ,mr4 ,brixton could give1 he began tracing out the course of both the electric light and telephone wires that led down into the den4 ,next came a close examination of the ceiling and side walls1 the floor1 the hangings1 the pictures1 the rugs1 everything4 ,kennedy was tapping here and there all over the wall1 as if to discover whether there was any such hollow sound as a cavity might make4 ,there was none4 ,a low exclamation from him attracted my attention1 though it escaped ,brixton4 ,his tapping had raised the dust from the velvety wall-paper wherever he had tried it4 ,hastily1 from a corner where it would not be noticed1 he pulled off a piece of the paper and stuffed it into his pocket4 ,then followed a hasty examination of the intake of the ventilating apparatus4 ,apparently satisfied with his examination of things in the den1 ,craig now prepared to trace out the course of the telephone and light wires in the house4 ,brixton excused himself1 asking us to join him in the library up-stairs after ,craig had completed his investigation4 ,nothing was discovered by tracing the lines back1 as best we could1 from the den4 ,kennedy therefore began at the other end1 and having found the points in the huge cellar of the house where the main trunk and feed wires entered1 he began a systematic search in that direction4 ,a separate line led1 apparently1 to the den1 and where this line feeding the ,osram lamp passed near a dark storeroom in a corner ,craig examined more closely than ever4 ,seemingly his search was rewarded1 for he dived into the dark storeroom and commenced lighting matches furiously to discover what was there4 8,look1 ,walter10 he exclaimed1 holding a match so that ,i could see what he had unearthed4 ,there1 in a corner concealed by an old chest of drawers1 stood a battery of five storage-cells connected with an instrument that looked very much like a telephone transmitter1 a rheostat1 and a small transformer coil4 8,i suppose this is a direct-current lighting circuit10 he remarked1 thoughtfully regarding his find4 8,i think ,i know what this is1 all right4 ,any amateur could do it1 with a little knowledge of electricity and a source of direct current4 ,the thing is easily constructed1 the materials are common1 and a wonderfully complicated result can be obtained4 ,what's this80 ,he had continued to poke about in the darkness as he was speaking4 ,in another corner he had discovered two ordinary telephone receivers4 8,connected up with something1 too1 by ,george60 he ejaculated4 ,evidently some one had tapped the regular telephone wires running into the house1 had run extensions into the little storeroom1 and was prepared to overhear everything that was said either to or by those in the house4 ,further examination disclosed that there were two separate telephone systems running into ,brixton's house4 ,one1 with its many extensions1 was used by the household and by the housekeeper2 the other was the private wire which led1 ultimately1 down into ,brixton's den4 ,no sooner had he discovered it than ,kennedy became intensely interested4 ,for the moment he seemed entirely to forget the electric-light wires and became absorbed in tracing out the course of the telephone trunk-line and its extensions4 ,continued search rewarded him with the discovery that both the household line and the private line were connected by hastily improvised extensions with the two receivers he had discovered in the out-of-the-way corner of a little dark storeroom4 8,don't disturb a thing10 remarked ,kennedy1 cautiously picking up even the burnt matches he had dropped in his hasty search4 8,we must devise some means of catching the eavesdropper red handed4 ,it has all the marks of being an inside job40 ,we had completed our investigation of the basement without attracting any attention1 and ,craig was careful to make it seem that in entering the library we came from the den1 not from the cellar4 ,as we waited in the big leather chairs ,kennedy was sketching roughly on a sheet of paper the plan of the house1 drawing in the location of the various wires4 ,the door opened4 ,we had expected ,john ,brixton4 ,instead1 a tall1 spare foreigner with a close-cropped moustache entered4 ,i knew at once that it must be ,count ,wachtmann1 although ,i had never seen him4 8,ah1 ,i beg your pardon10 he exclaimed in ,english which betrayed that he had been under good teachers in ,london4 8,i thought ,miss ,brixton was here40 8,count ,wachtmann80 interrogated ,kennedy1 rising4 8,the same10 he replied easily1 with a glance of inquiry at us4 8,my friend and ,i are from the ,star0 said ,kennedy4 8,ah6 ,gentlemen of the press80 ,he elevated his eyebrows the fraction of an inch4 ,it was so politely contemptuous that ,i could almost have throttled him4 8,we are waiting to see ,mr4 ,brixton10 explained ,kennedy4 8,what is the latest from the ,near ,east80 ,wachtmann asked1 with the air of a man expecting to hear what he could have told you yesterday if he had chosen4 ,there was a movement of the portieres1 and a woman entered4 ,she stopped a moment4 ,i knew it was ,miss ,brixton4 ,she had recognised ,kennedy1 but her part was evidently to treat him as a total stranger4 8,who are these men1 ,conrad80 she asked1 turning to ,wachtmann4 8,gentlemen of the press1 ,i believe1 to see your father1 ,yvonne10 replied the count4 ,it was evident that it had not been mere newspaper talk about this latest rumored international engagement4 8,how did you enjoy it80 he asked1 noticing the title of a history which she had come to replace in the library4 8,very well--all but the assassinations and the intrigues10 she replied with a little shudder4 ,he shot a quick1 searching look at her face4 8,they are a violent people--some of them10 he commented quickly4 8,you are going into town to-morrow80 ,i heard him ask ,miss ,brixton1 as they walked slowly down the wide hall to the conservatory a few moments later4 8,what do you think of him80 ,i whispered to ,kennedy4 ,i suppose my native distrust of his kind showed through1 for ,craig merely shrugged his shoulders4 ,before he could reply ,mr4 ,brixton joined us4 8,there's another one--just came10 he ejaculated1 throwing a letter down on the library table4 ,it was only a few lines this time3 8,the bonds will not be subject to a tax by the government1 they say4 ,no--because if there is a war there won't be any government to tax them60 ,the note did not appear to interest ,kennedy as much as what he had discovered4 8,one thing is self-evident1 ,mr4 ,brixton10 he remarked4 8,some one inside this house is spying1 is in constant communication with a person or persons outside4 ,all the watchmen and ,great ,danes on the estate are of no avail against the subtle1 underground connection that ,i believe exists4 ,it is still early in the afternoon4 ,i shall make a hasty trip to ,new ,york and return after dinner4 ,i should like to watch with you in the den this evening40 8,very well10 agreed ,brixton4 8,i shall arrange to have you met at the station and brought here as secretly as ,i can40 ,he sighed1 as if admitting that he was no longer master of even his own house4 ,kennedy was silent during most of our return trip to ,new ,york4 ,as for myself1 ,i was deeply mired in an attempt to fathom ,wachtmann4 ,he baffled me4 ,however1 ,i felt that if there was indeed some subtle1 underground connection between some one inside and someone outside ,brixton's house1 ,craig would prepare an equally subtle method of meeting it on his own account4 ,very little was said by either of us on the journey up to the laboratory1 or on the return to ,woodrock4 ,i realised that there was very little excuse for a commuter not to be well informed4 ,i1 at least1 had plenty of time to exhaust the newspapers ,i had bought4 ,whether or not we returned without being observed1 ,i did not know1 but at least we did find that the basement and dark storeroom were deserted1 as we cautiously made our way again it to the corner where ,craig had made his enigmatical discoveries of the afternoon4 ,while ,i held a pocket flashlight ,craig was busy concealing another instrument of his own in the little storeroom4 ,it seemed to be a little black disk about as big as a watch1 with a number of perforated holes in one face4 ,carelessly he tossed it into the top drawer of the chest under some old rubbish1 shut the drawer tight and ran a flexible wire out of the back of the chest4 ,it was a simple matter to lay the wire through some bins next the storeroom and then around to the passageway down to the subterranean den of ,brixton4 ,there ,craig deposited a little black box about the size of an ordinary kodak4 ,for an hour or so we sat with ,brixton4 ,neither of us said anything1 and ,brixton was uncommunicatively engaged in reading a railroad report4 ,suddenly a sort of muttering1 singing noise seemed to fill the room4 8,there it is60 cried ,brixton1 clapping the book shut and looking eagerly at ,kennedy4 ,gradually the sound increased in pitch4 ,it seemed to come from the ceiling1 not from any particular part of the room1 but merely from somewhere overhead4 ,there was no hallucination about it4 ,we all heard4 ,as the vibrations increased it was evident that they were shaping themselves into words4 ,kennedy had grasped the black box the moment the sound began and was holding two black rubber disks to his ears4 ,at last the sound from overhead became articulate ,it was weird1 uncanny4 ,suddenly a voice said distinctly3 8,let ,american dollars beware4 ,they will not protect ,american daughters40 ,craig had dropped the two ear-pieces and was gazing intently at the ,osram lamp in the ceiling4 ,was he1 too1 crazy8 8,here1 ,mr4 ,brixton1 take these two receivers of the detectaphone10 said ,kennedy4 8,tell me whether you can recognise the voice40 8,why1 it's familiar10 he remarked slowly4 8,i can't place it1 but ,i've heard it before4 ,where is it8 ,what is this thing1 anyhow80 8,it is someone hidden in the storeroom in the basement10 answered ,craig4 8,he is talking into a very sensitive telephone transmitter and--0 8,but the voice--here80 interrupted ,brixton impatiently4 ,kennedy pointed to the incandescent lamp in the ceiling4 8,the incandescent lamp10 he said1 8is not always the mute electrical apparatus it is supposed to be4 ,under the right conditions it can be made to speak exactly as the famous #8speaking-arc1' as it was called by ,professor ,duddell1 who investigated it4 ,both the arc-light and the metal-filament lamp can be made to act as telephone receivers40 ,it seemed unbelievable1 but ,kennedy was positive4 8,in the case of the speaking-arc or #8arcophone1' as it might be called10 he continued1 8the fact that the electric arc is sensitive to such small variations in the current over a wide range of frequency has suggested that a direct-current arc might be used as a telephone receiver4 ,all that is necessary is to superimpose a microphone current on the main arc current1 and the arc reproduces sounds and speech distinctly1 loud enough to be heard several feet4 ,indeed1 the arc could be used as a transmitter1 too1 if a sensitive receiver replaced the transmitter at the other end4 ,the things needed are an arc-lamp1 an impedance coil1 or small transformer-coil1 a rheostat1 and a source of energy4 ,the alternating current is not adapted to reproduce speech1 but the ordinary direct current is4 ,of course1 the theory isn't half as simple as the apparatus ,i have described40 ,he had unscrewed the ,osram lamp4 ,the talking ceased immediately4 8,two investigators named ,ort and ,ridger have used a lamp like this as a receiver10 he continued4 8,they found that words spoken were reproduced in the lamp4 ,the telephonic current variations superposed on the current passing through the lamp produce corresponding variations of heat in the filament1 which are radiated to the glass of the bulb1 causing it to expand and contract proportionately1 and thus transmitting vibrations to the exterior air4 ,of course1 in sixteen-and thirty-two-candle-power lamps the glass is too thick1 and the heat variations are too feeble40 ,who was it whose voice ,brixton had recognised as familiar over ,kennedy's hastily installed detectaphone8 ,certainly he must have been a scientist of no mean attainment4 ,that did not surprise me1 for ,i realised that from that part of ,europe where this mystical ,red ,brotherhood operated some of the most famous scientists of the world had sprung4 ,a hasty excursion into the basement netted us nothing4 ,the place was deserted4 ,we could only wait4 ,with parting instructions to ,brixton in the use of the detectaphone we said good night1 were met by a watchman and escorted as far as the lodge safely4 ,only one remark did ,kennedy make as we settled ourselves for the long ride in the accommodation train to the city4 8,that warning means that we have two people to protect--both ,brixton and his daughter40 ,speculate as ,i might1 ,i could find no answer to the mystery1 nor to the question1 which was also unsolved1 as to the queer malady of ,brixton himself1 which his physician diagnosed as jaundice4 ,,vi ,,the ,,detectaphone ,far after midnight though it had been when we had at last turned in at our apartment1 ,kennedy was up even earlier than usual in the morning4 ,i found him engrossed in work at the laboratory4 8,just in time to see whether ,i'm right in my guess about the illness of ,brixton10 he remarked1 scarcely looking up at me4 ,he had taken a flask with a rubber stopper4 ,through one hole in it was fitted a long funnel2 through another ran a glass tube1 connecting with a large ,u-shaped drying-tube filled with calcium chloride1 which in turn connected with a long open tube with an up-turned end4 ,into the flask ,craig dropped some pure granulated zinc coated with platinum4 ,then he covered it with dilute sulphuric acid through the funnel tube4 8,that forms hydrogen gas10 he explained1 8which passes through the drying-tube and the ignition-tube4 ,wait a moment until all the air is expelled from the tubes40 ,he lighted a match and touched it to the open upturned end4 ,the hydrogen1 now escaping freely1 was ignited with a pale-blue flame4 ,next1 he took the little piece of wall-paper ,i had seen him tear off in the den1 scraped off some powder from it1 dissolved it1 and poured it into the funnel-tube4 ,almost immediately the pale1 bluish flame turned to bluish white1 and white fumes were formed4 ,in the ignition-tube a sort of metallic deposit appeared4 ,quickly he made one test after another4 ,i sniffed4 ,there was an unmistakable smell of garlic in the air4 8,arseniureted hydrogen10 commented ,craig4 8,this is the ,marsh test for arsenic4 ,that wall-paper in ,brixton's den has been loaded down with arsenic1 probably ,paris green or ,schweinfurth green1 which is aceto-arsenite of copper4 ,every minute he is there he is breathing arseniureted hydrogen4 ,some one has contrived to introduce free hydrogen into the intake of his ventilator4 ,that acts on the arsenic compounds in the wall-paper and hangings and sets free the gas4 ,i thought ,i knew the smell the moment ,i got a whiff of it4 ,besides1 ,i could tell by the jaundiced look of his face that he was being poisoned4 ,his liver was out of order1 and arsenic seems to accumulate in the liver40 8,slowly poisoned by minute quantities of gas10 ,i repeated in amazement4 8,some one in that ,red ,brotherhood is a diabolical genius4 ,think of it--poisoned wall-paper60 ,it was still early in the forenoon when ,kennedy excused himself1 and leaving me to my own devices disappeared on one of his excursions into the underworld of the foreign settlements on the ,east ,side4 ,about the middle of the afternoon he reappeared4 ,as far as ,i could learn all that he had found out was that the famous1 or rather infamous1 ,professor ,michael ,kumanova1 one of the leaders of the ,red ,brotherhood1 was known to be somewhere in this country4 ,we lost no time in returning again to ,woodrock late that afternoon4 ,craig hastened to warn ,brixton of his peril from the contaminated atmosphere of the den1 and at once a servant was set to work with a vacuum cleaner4 ,carefully ,craig reconnoitred the basement where the eavesdropping storeroom was situated4 ,finding it deserted1 he quickly set to work connecting the two wires of the general household telephone with what looked very much like a seamless iron tube1 perhaps six inches long and three inches in diameter4 ,then he connected the tube also with the private wire of ,brixton in a similar manner4 8,this is a special repeating-coil of high efficiency10 he explained in answer to my inquiry4 8,it is absolutely balanced as to resistance1 number of turns1 and everything4 ,i shall run this third line from the coil into ,brixton's den1 and then1 if you like1 you can accompany me on a little excursion down to the village where ,i am going to install another similar coil between the two lines at the local telephone central station opposite the railroad40 ,brixton met us about eight o'clock that night in his now renovated den4 ,apparently1 even the little change from uncertainty to certainty so far had had a tonic effect on him4 ,i had1 however1 almost given up the illusion that it was possible for us to be even in the den without being watched by an unseen eye4 ,it seemed to me that to one who could conceive of talking through an incandescent lamp seeing1 even through steel and masonry1 was not impossible4 ,kennedy had brought with him a rectangular box of oak1 in one of the large faces of which were two square holes4 ,as he replaced the black camera-like box of the detectaphone with this oak box he remarked3 8,this is an intercommunicating telephone arrangement of the detectaphone4 ,you see1 it is more sensitive than anything of the sort ever made before4 ,the arrangement of these little square holes is such as to make them act as horns or magnifiers of a double receiver4 ,we can all hear at once what is going on by using this machine40 ,we had not been waiting long before a peculiar noise seemed to issue from the detectaphone4 ,it was as though a door had been opened and shut hastily4 ,some one had evidently entered the storeroom4 ,a voice called up the railroad station and asked for ,michael ,kronski1 ,count ,wachtmann's chauffeur4 8,it is the voice ,i heard last night10 exclaimed ,brixton4 8,by the ,lord ,harry1 do you know1 it is ,janeff the engineer who has charge of the steam heating1 the electric bells1 and everything of the sort around the place4 ,my own engineer--,i'll land the fellow in jail before ,i'll--0 ,kennedy raised his hand4 8,let us hear what he has to say10 remonstrated ,craig calmly4 8,i suppose you have wondered why ,i didn't just go down there last night and grab the fellow4 ,well1 you see now4 ,it is my invariable rule to get the man highest up4 ,this fellow is only one tool4 ,arrest him1 and as likely as not we should allow the big criminal to escape40 8,hello1 ,kronski60 came over the detectaphone4 8,this is ,janeff4 ,how are things going80 ,wachtmann's chauffeur must have answered that everything was all right4 8,you knew that they had discovered the poisoned wall-paper80 asked ,janeff4 ,a long parley followed4 ,finally1 ,janeff repeated what apparently had been his instructions4 8,now1 let me see10 he said4 8,you want me to stay here until the last minute so that ,i can overhear whether any alarm is given for her8 ,all right4 ,you're sure it is the nine-o'clock train she is due on8 ,very well4 ,i shall meet you at the ferry across the ,hudson4 ,i'll start from here as soon as ,i hear the train come in4 ,we'll get the girl this time4 ,that will bring ,brixton to terms sure4 ,you're right4 ,even if we fail this time1 we'll succeed later4 ,don't fail me4 ,i'll be at the ferry as soon as ,i can get past the guards and join you4 ,there isn't a chance of an alarm from the house4 ,i'll cut all the wires the last thing before ,i leave4 ,good-bye40 ,all at once it dawned on me what they were planning--the kidnapping of ,brixton's only daughter1 to hold her1 perhaps1 as a hostage until he did the bidding of the gang4 ,wachtmann's chauffeur was doing it and using ,wachtmann's car1 too4 ,was ,wachtmann a party to it8 ,what was to be done8 ,i looked at my watch4 ,it was already only a couple of minutes of nine1 when the train would be due4 8,if we could seize that fellow in the closet and start for the station immediately we might save ,yvonne10 cried ,brixton1 starting for the door4 8,and if they escape you make them more eager than ever to strike a blow at you and yours10 put in ,craig coolly4 8,no1 let us get this thing straight4 ,i didn't think it was as serious as this1 but ,i'm prepared to meet any emergency40 8,but1 man10 shouted ,brixton1 8you don't suppose anything in the world counts beside her1 do you80 8,exactly the point10 urged ,craig4 8,save her and capture them--both at once40 8,how can you80 fumed ,brixton4 8,if you attempt to telephone from here1 that fellow ,janeff will overhear and give a warning40 ,regardless of whether ,janeff was listening or not1 ,kennedy was eagerly telephoning to the ,woodrock central down in the village4 ,he was using the transmitter and receiver that were connected with the iron tube which he had connected to the two regular house lines4 8,have the ferry held at any cost10 he was ordering4 8,don't let the next boat go out until ,mr4 ,brixton gets there1 under any circumstances4 ,now put that to them straight1 central4 ,you know ,mr4 ,brixton has just a little bit of influence around here1 and somebody's head will drop if they let that boat go out before he gets there40 8,humph60 ejaculated ,brixton4 8,much good that will do4 ,why1 ,i suppose our friend ,janeff down in the storeroom knows it all now4 ,come on1 let's grab him40 ,nevertheless there was no sound from the detectaphone which would indicate that he had overheard and was spreading the alarm4 ,he was there yet1 for we could hear him clear his throat once or twice4 8,no10 replied ,kennedy calmly1 8he knows nothing about it4 ,i didn't use any ordinary means to prepare against the experts who have brought this situation about4 ,that message you heard me send went out over what we call the #8phantom circuit4'0 8,the phantom circuit80 repeated ,brixton1 chafing at the delay4 8,yes1 it seems fantastic at first1 ,i suppose10 pursued ,kennedy calmly2 8but1 after all1 it is in accordance with the laws of electricity4 ,it's no use fretting and fuming1 ,mr4 ,brixton4 ,if ,janeff can wait1 we'll have to do so1 too4 ,suppose we should start and this ,kronski should change his plans at the last minute8 ,how would we find it out8 ,by telepathy8 ,believe me1 sir1 it is better to wait here a minute and trust to the phantom circuit than to mere chance40 8,but suppose he should cut the line10 ,i put in4 ,kennedy smiled4 8,i have provided for that1 ,walter1 in the way ,i installed the thing4 ,i took good care that we could not be cut off that way4 ,we can hear everything ourselves1 but we cannot be overheard4 ,he knows nothing4 ,you see1 ,i took advantage of the fact that additional telephones or so-called phantom lines can be superposed on existing physical lines4 ,it is possible to obtain a third circuit from two similar metallic circuits by using for each side of this third circuit the two wires of each of the other circuits in multiple4 ,all three circuits are independent1 too4 8,the third telephone current enters the wires of the first circuit1 as it were1 and returns along the wires of the second circuit4 ,there are several ways of doing it4 ,one is to use retardation or choke-coils bridged across the two metallic circuits at both ends1 with taps taken from the middle points of each4 ,but the more desirable method is the one you saw me install this afternoon4 ,i introduced repeating-coils into the circuits at both ends4 ,technically1 the third circuit is then taken off from the mid-points of the secondaries or line windings of these repeating coils4 8,the current on a long-distance line is alternating in character1 and it passes readily through a repeating-coil4 ,the only effect it has on the transmission is slightly reducing the volume4 ,the current passes into the repeating-coil1 then divides and passes through the two line wires4 ,at the other end the halves balance1 so to speak4 ,thus1 currents passing over a phantom circuit don't set up currents in the terminal apparatus of the side circuits4 ,consequently1 a conversation carried on over the phantom circuit will not be heard in either side circuit1 nor does a conversation on one side circuit affect the phantom4 ,we could all talk at once without interfering with each other40 8,at any other time ,i should be more than interested10 remarked ,brixton grimly1 curbing his impatience to be doing something4 8,i appreciate that1 sir10 rejoined ,kennedy4 8,ah1 here it is4 ,i have the central down in the village4 ,yes8 ,they will hold the boat for us8 ,good4 ,thank you4 ,the nine-o'clock train is five minutes late8 ,yes--what8 ,count ,wachtmann's car is there8 ,oh1 yes1 the train is just pulling in4 ,i see4 ,miss ,brixton has entered his car alone4 ,what's that8 ,his chauffeur has started the car without waiting for the ,count1 who is coming down the platform80 ,instantly ,kennedy was on his feet4 ,he was dashing up the corridor and the stairs from the den and down into the basement to the little storeroom4 ,we burst into the place4 ,it was empty4 ,janeff had cut the wires and fled4 ,there was not a moment to lose4 ,craig hastily made sure that he had not discovered or injured the phantom circuit4 8,call the fastest car you have in your garage1 ,mr4 ,brixton10 ordered ,kennedy4 8,hello1 hello1 central6 ,get the lodge at the ,brixton estate4 ,tell them if they see the engineer ,janeff going out to stop him4 ,alarm the watchman and have the dogs ready4 ,catch him at any cost1 dead1 or alive40 ,a moment later ,brixton's car raced around1 and we piled in and were off like a whirlwind4 ,already we could see lights moving about and hear the baying of dogs4 ,personally1 ,i wouldn't have given much for ,janeff's chances of escape4 ,as we turned the bend in the road just before we reached the ferry1 we almost ran into two cars standing before the ferry house4 ,it looked as though one had run squarely in front of the other and blocked it off4 ,in the slip the ferry boat was still steaming and waiting4 ,beside the wrecked car a man was lying on the ground groaning1 while another man was quieting a girl whom he was leading to the waiting-room of the ferry4 ,brixton1 weak though he was from his illness1 leaped out of our car almost before we stopped and caught the girl in his arms4 8,father60 she exclaimed1 clinging to him4 8,what's this80 he demanded sternly1 eying the man4 ,it was ,wachtmann himself4 8,conrad saved me from that chauffeur of his10 explained ,miss ,brixton4 8,i met him on the train1 and we were going to ride up to the house together4 ,but before ,conrad could get into the car this fellow1 who had the engine running1 started it4 ,conrad jumped into another car that was waiting at the station4 ,he overlook us and dodged in front so as to cut the chauffeur off from the ferry40 8,curse that villain of a chauffeur10 muttered ,wachtmann1 looking down at the wounded man4 8,do you know who he is80 asked ,craig with a searching glance at ,wachtmann's face4 8,i ought to4 ,his name is ,kronski1 and a blacker devil an employment bureau never furnished40 8,kronski8 ,no10 corrected ,kennedy4 8,it is ,professor ,kumanova1 whom you perhaps have heard of as a leader of the ,red ,brotherhood1 one of the cleverest scientific criminals who ever lived4 ,i think you'll have no more trouble negotiating your loan or your love affair1 ,count10 added ,craig1 turning on his heel4 ,he was in no mood to receive the congratulations of the supercilious ,wachtmann4 ,as far as ,craig was concerned1 the case was finished1 although ,i fancied from a flicker of his eye as he made some passing reference to the outcome that when he came to send in a bill to ,brixton for his services he would not forget the high eyebrowed ,count4 ,i followed in silence as ,craig climbed into the ,brixton car and explained to the banker that it was imperative that he should get back to the city immediately4 ,nothing would do but that the car must take us all the way back1 while ,brixton summoned another from the house for himself4 ,the ride was accomplished swiftly in record time4 ,kennedy said little4 ,apparently the exhilaration of the on-rush of cool air was quite in keeping with his mood1 though for my part1 ,i should have preferred something a little more relaxing of the nervous tension4 8,we've been at it five days1 now10 ,i remarked wearily as ,i dropped into an easy chair in our own quarters4 8,are you going to keep up this debauch80 ,kennedy laughed4 8,no10 he said with a twinkle of scientific mischief1 8no1 ,i'm going to sleep it off40 8,thank heaven60 ,i muttered4 8,because10 he went on seriously1 8that case interrupted a long series of tests ,i am making on the sensitiveness of selenium to light1 and ,i want to finish them up soon4 ,there's no telling when ,i shall be called on to use the information40 ,i swallowed hard4 ,he really meant it4 ,he was laying out more work for himself4 ,next morning ,i fully expected to find that he had gone4 ,instead he was preparing for what he called a quiet day in the laboratory4 8,now for some ,,real work10 he smiled4 8,sometimes1 ,walter1 ,i feel that ,i ought to give up this outside activity and devote myself entirely to research4 ,it is so much more important40 ,i could only stare at him and reflect on how often men wanted to do something other than the very thing that nature had evidently intended them to do1 and on how fortunate it was that we were not always free agents4 ,he set out for the laboratory and ,i determined that as long as he would not stop working1 neither would ,i4 ,i tried to write4 ,somehow ,i was not in the mood4 ,i wrote ,,at my story1 but succeeded only in making it more unintelligible4 ,i was in no fit condition for it4 ,it was late in the afternoon4 ,i had made up my mind to use force1 if necessary1 to separate ,kennedy from his study of selenium4 ,my idea was that anything from the ,metropolitan to the 8movies0 would do him good1 and ,i had almost carried my point when a big1 severely plain black foreign limousine pulled up with a rush at the laboratory door4 ,a large man in a huge fur coat jumped out and the next moment strode into the room4 ,he needed no introduction1 for we recognised at once ,j4 ,perry ,spencer1 one of the foremost of ,american financiers and a trustee of the university4 ,with that characteristic directness which ,i have always thought accounted in large measure for his success1 he wasted scarcely a word in coming straight to the object of his visit4 8,professor ,kennedy10 he began1 chewing his cigar and gazing about with evident interest at the apparatus ,craig had collected in his warfare of science with crime1 8,i have dropped in here as a matter of patriotism4 ,i want you to preserve to ,america those masterpieces of art and literature which ,i have collected all over the world during many years4 ,they are the objects of one of the most curious pieces of vandalism of which ,i have ever heard4 ,professor ,kennedy10 he concluded earnestly1 8could ,i ask you to call on ,dr4 ,hugo ,lith1 the curator of my private museum1 as soon as you can possibly find it convenient80 8,most assuredly1 ,mr4 ,spencer10 replied ,craig1 with a whimsical side glance at me that told without words that this was better relaxation to him than either the ,metropolitan or the 8movies40 8,i shall be glad to see ,dr4 ,lith at any time--right now1 if it is convenient to him40 ,the millionaire connoisseur consulted his watch4 8,lith will be at the museum until six1 at least4 ,yes1 we can catch him there4 ,i have a dinner engagement at seven myself4 ,i can give you half an hour of the time before then4 ,if you're ready1 just jump into the car1 both of you40 ,the museum to which he referred was a handsome white marble building1 in ,renaissance1 fronting on a side street just off ,fifth ,avenue and in the rear of the famous ,spencer house1 itself one of the show places of that wonderful thoroughfare4 ,spencer had built the museum at great cost simply to house those treasures which were too dear to him to entrust to a public institution4 ,it was in the shape of a rectangle and planned with special care as to the lighting4 ,dr4 ,lith1 a rather stout1 mild-eyed ,german savant1 plunged directly into the middle of things as soon as we had been introduced4 8,it is a most remarkable affair1 gentlemen10 he began1 placing for us chairs that must have been hundreds of years old4 8,at first it was only those objects in the museum1 that were green that were touched1 like the collection of famous and historic ,french emeralds4 ,but soon we found it was other things1 too1 that were missing--old ,roman coins of gold1 a collection of watches1 and ,i know not what else until we have gone over the--0 8,where is ,miss ,white80 interrupted ,spencer1 who had been listening somewhat impatiently4 8,in the library1 sir4 ,shall ,i call her80 8,no1 ,i will go myself4 ,i want her to tell her experience to ,professor ,kennedy exactly as she told it to me4 ,explain while ,i am gone how impossible it would be for a visitor to do one1 to say nothing of all1 of the acts of vandalism we have discovered40 ,,vii ,,the ,,green ,,curse ,the ,american ,medici disappeared into his main library1 where ,miss ,white was making a minute examination to determine what damage had been done in the realm over which she presided4 8,apparently every book with a green binding has been mutilated in some way10 resumed ,dr4 ,lith1 8but that was only the beginning4 ,others have suffered1 too1 and some are even gone4 ,it is impossible that any visitor could have done it4 ,only a few personal friends of ,mr4 ,spencer are ever admitted here1 and they are never alone4 ,no1 it is weird1 mysterious40 ,just then ,spencer returned with ,miss ,white4 ,she was an extremely attractive girl1 slight of figure1 but with an air about her that all the imported gowns in ,new ,york could not have conferred4 ,they were engaged in animated conversation1 so much in contrast with the bored air with which ,spencer had listened to ,dr4 ,lith that even ,i noticed that the connoisseur was completely obliterated in the man1 whose love of beauty was by no means confined to the inanimate4 ,i wondered if it was merely his interest in her story that impelled ,spencer4 ,the more ,i watched the girl the more ,i was convinced that she knew that she was interesting to the millionaire4 8,for example10 ,dr4 ,lith was saying1 8the famous collection of emeralds which has disappeared has always been what you ,americans call #8hoodooed4' ,they have always brought ill luck1 and1 like many things of the sort to which superstition attaches1 they have been #8banked1' so to speak1 by their successive owners in museums40 8,are they salable2 that is1 could any one dispose of the emeralds or the other curios with reasonable safety and at a good price80 8,oh1 yes1 yes10 hastened ,dr4 ,lith1 8not as collections1 but separately4 ,the emeralds alone cost fifty thousand dollars4 ,i believe ,mr4 ,spencer bought them for ,mrs4 ,spencer some years before she died4 ,she did not care to wear them1 however1 and had them placed here40 ,i thought ,i noticed a shade of annoyance cross the face of the magnate4 8,never mind that10 he interrupted4 8,let me introduce ,miss ,white4 ,i think you will find her story one of the most uncanny you have ever heard40 ,he had placed a chair for her and1 still addressing us but looking at her1 went on3 8,it seems that the morning the vandalism was first discovered she and ,dr4 ,lith at once began a thorough search of the building to ascertain the extent of the depredations4 ,the search lasted all day1 and well into the night4 ,i believe it was midnight before you finished80 8,it was almost twelve10 began the girl1 in a musical voice that was too ,parisian to harmonize with her plain ,anglo-,saxon name1 8when ,dr4 ,lith was down here in his office checking off the objects in the catalogue which were either injured or missing4 ,i had been working in the library4 ,the noise of something like a shade flapping in the wind attracted my attention4 ,i listened4 ,it seemed to come from the art-gallery1 a large room up-stairs where some of the greatest masterpieces in this country are hung4 ,i hurried up there4 8,just as ,i reached the door a strange feeling seemed to come over me that ,i was not alone in that room4 ,i fumbled for the electric light switch1 but in my nervousness could not find it4 ,there was just enough light in the room to make out objects indistinctly4 ,i thought ,i heard a low1 moaning sound from an old ,flemish copper ewer near me4 ,i had heard that it was supposed to groan at night40 ,she paused and shuddered at her recollection1 and looked about as if grateful for the flood of electric light that now illuminated everything4 ,spencer reached over and touched her arm to encourage her to go on4 ,she did not seem to resent the touch4 8,opposite me1 in the middle of the open floor10 she resumed1 her eyes dilated and her breath coming and going rapidly1 8stood the mummy-case of ,ka1 an ,egyptian priestess of ,thebes1 ,i think4 ,the case was empty1 but on the lid was painted a picture of the priestess6 ,such wonderful eyes6 ,they seem to pierce right through your very soul4 ,often in the daytime ,i have stolen off to look at them4 ,but at night--remember the hour of night1 too--oh1 it was awful1 terrible4 ,the lid of the mummy-case moved1 yes1 really moved1 and seemed to float to one side4 ,i could see it4 ,and back of that carved and painted face with the piercing eyes was another face1 a real face1 real eyes1 and they looked out at me with such hatred from the place that ,i knew was empty--0 ,she had risen and was facing us with wild terror written on her face as if in appeal for protection against something she was powerless to name4 ,spencer1 who had not taken his hand off her arm1 gently pressed her back into the easy chair and finished the story4 8,she screamed and fainted4 ,dr4 ,lith heard it and rushed up-stairs4 ,there she lay on the floor4 ,the lid of the sarcophagus had really been moved4 ,he saw it4 ,not a thing else had been disturbed4 ,he carried her down here and revived her1 told her to rest for a day or two1 but--0 8,i cannot1 ,i cannot10 she cried4 8,it is the fascination of the thing4 ,it brings me back here4 ,i dream of it4 ,i thought ,i saw those eyes the other night4 ,they haunt me4 ,i fear them1 and yet ,i would not avoid them1 if it killed me to look4 ,i must meet and defy the power4 ,what is it8 ,is it a curse four thousand years old that has fallen on me80 ,i had heard stories of mummies that rose from their sleep of centuries to tell the fate of some one when it was hanging in the balance1 of mummies that groaned and gurgled and fought for breath1 frantically beating with their swathed hands in the witching hours of the night4 ,and ,i knew that the lure of these mummies was so strong for some people that they were drawn irresistibly to look upon and confer with them4 ,was this a case for the oculists1 the spiritualists1 the ,egyptologists1 or for a detective8 8,i should like to examine the art gallery1 in fact1 go over the whole museum10 put in ,kennedy in his most matter-of-fact tone4 ,spencer1 with a glance at his watch1 excused himself1 nodding to ,dr4 ,lith to show us about1 and with a good night to ,miss ,white which was noticeable for its sympathy with her fears1 said1 8,i shall be at the house for another half-hour at least1 in case anything really important develops40 ,a few minutes later ,miss ,white left for the night1 with apparent reluctance1 and yet1 ,i thought1 with just a little shudder as she looked back up the staircase that led to the art-gallery4 ,dr4 ,lith led us into a large vaulted marble hall and up a broad flight of steps1 past beautiful carvings and frescoes that ,i should have liked to stop and admire4 ,the art-gallery was a long room in the interior and at the top of the building1 windowless but lighted by a huge double skylight each half of which must have been some eight or ten feet across4 ,the light falling through this skylight passed through plate glass of marvellous transparency4 ,one looked up at the sky as if through the air itself4 ,kennedy ignored the gallery's profusion of priceless art for the time and went directly to the mummy-case of the priestess ,ka4 8,it has a weird history10 remarked ,dr4 ,lith4 8,no less than seven deaths1 as well as many accidents1 have been attributed to the malign influence of that greenish yellow coffin4 ,you know the ancient ,egyptians used to chant as they buried their sacred dead3 #8,woe to him who injures the tomb4 ,the dead shall point out the evildoer to the ,devourer of the ,underworld4 ,soul and body shall be destroyed4'0 ,it was indeed an awesome thing4 ,it represented a woman in the robes of an ,egyptian priestess1 a woman of medium height1 with an inscrutable face4 ,the slanting ,egyptian eyes did1 as ,miss ,white had said1 almost literally stare through you4 ,i am sure that any one possessing a nature at all affected by such things might after a few minutes gazing at them in self-hypnotism really convince himself that the eyes moved and were real4 ,even as ,i turned and looked the other way ,i felt that those penetrating eyes were still looking at me1 never asleep1 always keen and searching4 ,there was no awe about ,kennedy4 ,he carefully pushed aside the lid and peered inside4 ,i almost expected to see some one in there4 ,a moment later he pulled out his magnifying-glass and carefully examined the interior4 ,at last he was apparently satisfied with his search4 ,he had narrowed his attention down to a few marks on the stone1 partly in the thin layer of dust that had collected on the bottom4 8,this was a very modern and material reincarnation10 he remarked1 as he rose4 8,if ,i am not mistaken1 the apparition wore shoes1 shoes with nails in the heels1 and nails that are not like those in ,american shoes4 ,i shall have to compare the marks ,i have found with marks ,i have copied from shoe-nails in the wonderful collection of ,m4 ,bertillon4 ,offhand1 ,i should say that the shoes were of ,french make40 ,the library having been gone over next without anything attracting ,kennedy's attention particularly1 he asked about the basement or cellar4 ,dr4 ,lith lighted the way1 and we descended4 ,down there were innumerable huge packing-cases which had just arrived from abroad1 full of the latest consignment of art treasures which ,spencer had purchased4 ,apparently ,dr4 ,lith and ,miss ,white had been so engrossed in discovering what damage had been done to the art treasures above that they had not had time to examine the new ones in the basement4 ,kennedy's first move was to make a thorough search of all the little grated windows and a door which led out into a sort of little areaway for the removal of ashes and refuse4 ,the door showed no evidence of having been tampered with1 nor did any of the windows at first sight4 ,a low exclamation from ,kennedy brought us to his side4 ,he had opened one of the windows and thrust his hand out against the grating1 which had fallen on the outside pavement with a clang4 ,the bars had been completely and laboriously sawed through1 and the whole thing had been wedged back into place so that nothing would be detected at a cursory glance4 ,he was regarding the lock on the window4 ,apparently it was all right2 actually it had been sprung so that it was useless4 8,most persons10 he remarked1 8don't know enough about jimmies4 ,against them an ordinary door-lock or window-catch is no protection4 ,with a jimmy eighteen inches long even an anaemic burglar can exert a pressure sufficient to lift two tons4 ,not one window in a thousand can stand that strain4 ,the only use of locks is to keep out sneak-thieves and compel the modern scientific educated burglar to make a noise4 ,but making a noise isn't enough here1 at night4 ,this place with all its fabulous treasures must be guarded constantly1 now1 every hour1 as if the front door were wide open40 ,the bars replaced and the window apparently locked as before1 ,craig devoted his efforts to examining the packing cases in the basement4 ,as yet apparently nothing down there had been disturbed4 ,but while rummaging about1 from an angle formed behind one of the cases he drew forth a cane1 to all appearances an ordinary ,malacca walking-stick4 ,he balanced it in his hand a moment1 then shook his head4 8,too heavy for a ,malacca10 he ruminated4 ,then an idea seemed to occur to him4 ,he gave the handle a twist4 ,sure enough1 it came off1 and as it did so a bright little light flashed up4 8,well1 what do you think of that80 he exclaimed4 8,for a scientific dark-lantern that is the neatest thing ,i have ever seen4 ,an electric light cane1 with a little incandescent lamp and a battery hidden in it4 ,this grows interesting4 ,we must at last have found the cache of a real gentleman burglar such as ,bertillon says exists only in books4 ,i wonder if he has anything else hidden back here40 ,he reached down and pulled out a peculiar little instrument--a single blue steel cylinder4 ,he fitted a hard rubber cap snugly into the palm of his hand1 and with the first and middle fingers encircled the cylinder over a steel ring near the other end4 ,a loud report followed1 and a vase1 just unpacked1 at the opposite end of the basement was shattered as if by an explosion4 8,phew60 exclaimed ,kennedy4 8,i didn't mean to do that4 ,i knew the thing was loaded1 but ,i had no idea the hair-spring ring at the end was so delicate as to shoot it off at a touch4 ,it's one of those aristocratic little ,apache pistols that one can carry in his vest pocket and hide in his hand4 ,say1 but that stung6 ,and back here is a little box of cartridges1 too40 ,we looked at each other in amazement at the chance find4 ,apparently the vandal had planned a series of visits4 8,now1 let me see10 resumed ,kennedy4 8,i suppose our very human but none the less mysterious intruder expected to use these again4 ,well1 let him try4 ,i'll put them back here for the present4 ,i want to watch in the art-gallery to-night40 ,i could not help wondering whether1 after all1 it might not be an inside job and the fixing of the window merely a blind4 ,or was the vandal fascinated by the subtle influence of mysticism that so often seems to emanate from objects that have come down from the remote ages of the world8 ,i could not help asking myself whether the story that ,miss ,white had told was absolutely true4 ,had there been anything more than superstition in the girl's evident fright8 ,she had seen something1 ,i felt sure1 for it was certain she was very much disturbed4 ,but what was it she had really seen8 ,so far all that ,kennedy had found had proved that the reincarnation of the priestess ,ka had been very material4 ,perhaps the 8reincarnation0 had got in in the daytime and had spent the hours until night in the mummy-case4 ,it might well have been chosen as the safest and least suspicious hiding-place4 ,kennedy evidently had some ideas and plans1 for no sooner had he completed arrangements with ,dr4 ,lith so that we could get into the museum that night to watch1 than he excused himself4 ,scarcely around the corner on the next business street he hurried into a telephone booth4 8,i called up ,first ,deputy ,o',connor10 he explained as he left the booth a quarter of an hour later4 8,you know it is the duty of two of ,o',connor's men to visit all the pawn-shops of the city at least once a week1 looking over recent pledges and comparing them with descriptions of stolen articles4 ,i gave him a list from that catalogue of ,dr4 ,lith's and ,i think that if any of the emeralds1 for instance1 have been pawned his men will be on the alert and will find it out40 ,we had a leisurely dinner at a near-by hotel1 during most of which time ,kennedy gazed vacantly at his food4 ,only once did he mention the case1 and that was almost as if he were thinking aloud4 8,nowadays10 he remarked1 8criminals are exceptionally well informed4 ,they used to steal only money and jewels2 to-day it is famous pictures and antiques also4 ,they know something about the value of antique bronze and marble4 ,in fact1 the spread of a taste for art has taught the enterprising burglar that such things are worth money1 and he1 in turn1 has educated up the receivers of stolen goods to pay a reasonable percentage of the value of his artistic plunder4 ,the success of the ,european art thief is enlightening the ,american thief4 ,that's why ,i think we'll find some of this stuff in the hands of the professional fences40 ,it was still early in the evening when we returned to the museum and let ourselves in with the key that ,dr4 ,lith had loaned ,kennedy4 ,he had been anxious to join us in the watch1 but ,craig had diplomatically declined1 a circumstance that puzzled me and set me thinking that perhaps he suspected the curator himself4 ,we posted ourselves in an angle where we could not possibly be seen even if the full force of the electrolier were switched on4 ,hour after hour we waited4 ,but nothing happened4 ,there were strange and weird noises in plenty1 not calculated to reassure one1 but ,craig was always ready with an explanation4 ,it was in the forenoon of the day after our long and unfruitful vigil in the art-gallery that ,dr4 ,lith himself appeared at our apartment in a great state of perturbation4 8,miss ,white has disappeared10 he gasped1 in answer to ,craig's hurried question4 8,when ,i opened the museum1 she was not there as she is usually4 ,instead1 ,i found this note40 ,he laid the following hastily written message on the table3 ,do not try to follow me4 ,it is the green curse that has pursued me from ,paris4 ,i cannot escape it1 but ,i may prevent it from affecting others4 ,,lucille ,,white4 ,that was all4 ,we looked at each other at a loss to understand the enigmatic wording--8the green curse40 8,i rather expected something of the sort10 observed ,kennedy4 8,by the way1 the shoenails were ,french1 as ,i surmised4 ,they show the marks of ,french heels4 ,it was ,miss ,white herself who hid in the mummy-case40 8,impossible10 exclaimed ,dr4 ,lith incredulously4 ,as for myself1 ,i had learned that it was of no use being incredulous with ,kennedy4 ,a moment later the door opened1 and one of ,o',connor's men came in bursting with news4 ,some of the emeralds had been discovered in a ,third ,avenue pawn-shop4 ,o',connor1 mindful of the historic fate of the ,mexican ,madonna and the stolen statue of the ,egyptian goddess ,neith1 had instituted a thorough search with the result that at least part of the pilfered jewels had been located4 ,there was only one clue to the thief1 but it looked promising4 ,the pawnbroker described him as 8a crazy ,frenchman of an artist10 tall1 with a pointed black beard4 ,in pawning the jewels he had given the name of ,edouard ,delaverde1 and the city detectives were making a canvass of the better known studios in hope of tracing him4 ,kennedy1 ,dr4 ,lith and myself walked around to the boarding-house where ,miss ,white lived4 ,there was nothing about it1 from the landlady to the gossip1 to distinguish it from scores of other places of the better sort4 ,we had no trouble in finding out that ,miss ,white had not returned home at all the night before4 ,the landlady seemed to look on her as a woman of mystery1 and confided to us that it was an open secret that she was not an ,american at all1 but a ,french girl whose name1 she believed1 was really ,lucille ,leblanc--which1 after all1 was ,white4 ,kennedy made no comment1 but ,i wavered between the conclusions that she had been the victim of foul play and that she might be the criminal herself1 or at least a member of a band of criminals4 ,no trace of her could be found through the usual agencies for locating missing persons4 ,it was the middle of the afternoon1 however1 when word came to us that one of the city detectives had apparently located the studio of ,delaverde4 ,it was coupled with the interesting information that the day before a woman roughly answering the description of ,miss ,white had been seen there4 ,delaverde himself was gone4 ,the building to which the detective took us was down-town in a residence section which had remained as a sort of little eddy to one side of the current of business that had swept everything before it up-town4 ,it was an old building and large1 and was entirely given over to studios of artists4 ,into one of the cheapest of the suites we were directed4 ,it was almost bare of furniture and in a peculiarly shiftless state of disorder4 ,a half-finished picture stood in the centre of the room1 and several completed ones were leaning against the wall4 ,they were of the wildest character imaginable4 ,even the conceptions of the futurists looked tame in comparison4 ,kennedy at once began rummaging and exploring4 ,in a corner of a cupboard near the door he disclosed a row of dark-colored bottles4 ,one was filled halfway with an emerald-green liquid4 ,he held it up to the light and read the label1 8,absinthe40 8,ah10 he exclaimed with evident interest1 looking first at the bottle and then at the wild1 formless pictures4 8,our crazy ,frenchman was an absintheur4 ,i thought the pictures were rather the product of a disordered mind than of genius40 ,he replaced the bottle1 adding3 8,it is only recently that our own government placed a ban on the importation of that stuff as a result of the decision of the ,department of ,agriculture that it was dangerous to health and conflicted with the pure food law4 ,in ,france they call it the #8scourge1' the #8plague1' the #8enemy1' the #8queen of poisons4' ,compared with other alcoholic beverages it has the greatest toxicity of all4 ,there are laws against the stuff in ,france1 ,switzerland1 and ,belgium4 ,it isn't the alcohol alone1 although there is from fifty to eighty per cent4 in it1 that makes it so deadly4 ,it is the absinthe1 the oil of wormwood1 whose bitterness has passed into a proverb4 ,the active principle absinthin is a narcotic poison4 ,the stuff creates a habit most insidious and difficult to break1 a longing more exacting than hunger4 ,it is almost as fatal as cocaine in its blasting effects on mind and body4 8,wormwood10 he pursued1 still rummaging about1 8has a special affinity for the brain-cells and the nervous system in general4 ,it produces a special affliction of the mind1 which might be called absinthism4 ,loss of will follows its use1 brutishness1 softening of the brain4 ,it gives rise to the wildest hallucinations4 ,perhaps that was why our absintheur chose first to destroy or steal all things green1 as if there were some merit in the colour1 when he might have made away with so many more valuable things4 ,absintheurs have been known to perform some of the most intricate manoeuvres1 requiring great skill and the use of delicate tools4 ,they are given to disappearing1 and have no memory of their actions afterward40 ,on an ink-spattered desk lay some books1 including ,lombroso's 8,degenerate ,man0 and 8,criminal ,woman40 ,kennedy glanced at them1 then at a crumpled manuscript that was stuck into a pigeonhole4 ,it was written in a trembling1 cramped1 foreign hand1 evidently part of a book1 or an article4 8,oh1 the wickedness of wealth60 it began4 8,while millions of the poor toilers slave and starve and shiver1 the slave-drivers of to-day1 like the slave-drivers of ancient ,egypt1 spend the money wrung from the blood of the people in useless and worthless toys of art while the people have no bread1 in old books while the people have no homes1 in jewels while the people have no clothes4 ,thousands are spent on dead artists1 but a dollar is grudged to a living genius4 ,down with such art6 ,i dedicate my life to righting the wrongs of the proletariat4 ,vive l'anarchism60 ,the thing was becoming more serious4 ,but by far the most serious discovery in the now deserted studio was a number of large glass tubes in a corner1 some broken1 others not yet used and standing in rows as if waiting to be filled4 ,a bottle labelled 8,sulphuric ,acid0 stood at one end of a shelf1 while at the other was a huge jar full of black grains1 next a bottle of chlorate of potash4 ,kennedy took a few of the black grains and placed them on a metal ash-tray4 ,he lighted a match4 ,there was a puff and a little cloud of smoke4 8,ah10 he exclaimed1 8black gunpowder4 ,our absintheur was a bomb-maker1 an expert perhaps4 ,let me see4 ,i imagine he was making an explosive bomb1 ingeniously contrived of five glass tubes4 ,the centre one1 ,i venture1 contained sulphuric acid and chlorate of potash separated by a close-packed wad of cotton wool4 ,then the two tubes on each side probably contained the powder1 and perhaps the outside tubes were filled with spirits of turpentine4 ,when it is placed in position1 it is so arranged that the acid in the center tube is uppermost and will thus gradually soak through the cotton wool and cause great heat and an explosion by contact with the potash4 ,that would ignite the powder in the next tubes1 and that would scatter the blazing turpentine1 causing a terrific explosion and a widespread fire4 ,with an imperative idea of vengeance1 such as that manuscript discloses1 either for his own wrongs as an artist or for the fancied wrongs of the people1 what may this absintheur not be planning now8 ,he has disappeared1 but perhaps he may be more dangerous if found than if lost40 ,,viii ,,the ,,mummy ,,case ,the horrible thought occurred to me that perhaps he was not alone4 ,i had seen ,spencer's infatuation with his attractive librarian4 ,the janitor of the studio-building was positive that a woman answering her description had been a visitor at the studio4 ,would she be used to get at the millionaire and his treasures8 ,was she herself part of the plot to victimise1 perhaps kill1 him8 ,the woman had been much of an enigma to me at first4 ,she was more so now4 ,it was barely possible that she1 too1 was an absintheur1 who had shaken off the curse for a time only to relapse into it again4 ,if there were any thoughts like these passing through ,kennedy's mind he did not show it1 at least not in the shape of hesitating in the course he had evidently mapped out to follow4 ,he said little1 but hurried off from the studio in a cab up-town again to the laboratory4 ,a few minutes later we were speeding down to the museum4 ,there was not much time for ,craig to work if he hoped to be ready for anything that might happen that night4 ,he began by winding coil after coil of copper wire about the storeroom in the basement of the museum4 ,it was not a very difficult matter to conceal it1 so crowded was the room1 or to lead the ends out through a window at the opposite side from that where the window had been broken open4 ,up-stairs in the art-gallery he next installed several boxes such as those which ,i had seen him experimenting with during his tests of selenium on the afternoon when ,mr4 ,spencer had first called on us4 ,they were camera-like boxes1 about ten inches long1 three inches or so wide1 and four inches deep4 ,one end was open1 or at least looked as though the end had been shoved several inches into the interior of the box4 ,i looked into one of the boxes and saw a slit in the wall that had been shoved in4 ,kennedy was busy adjusting the apparatus1 and paused only to remark that the boxes contained two sensitive selenium surfaces balanced against two carbon resistances4 ,there was also in the box a clockwork mechanism which ,craig wound up and set ticking ever so softly4 ,then he moved a rod that seemed to cover the slit1 until the apparatus was adjusted to his satisfaction1 a delicate operation1 judging by the care he took4 ,several of these boxes were installed1 and by that time it was quite late4 ,wires from the apparatus in the art-gallery also led outside1 and these as well as the wires from the coils down in the basement he led across the bit of garden back of the ,spencer house and up to a room on the top floor4 ,in the upper room he attached the wires from the storeroom to what looked like a piece of crystal and a telephone receiver4 ,those from the art-gallery terminated in something very much like the apparatus which a wireless operator wears over his head4 ,among other things which ,craig had brought down from the laboratory was a package which he had not yet unwrapped4 ,he placed it near the window1 still wrapped4 ,it was quite large1 and must have weighed fifteen or twenty pounds4 ,that done1 he produced a tape-measure and began1 as if he were a surveyor1 to measure various distances and apparently to calculate the angles and distances from the window-sill of the ,spencer house to the skylight1 which was the exact centre of the museum4 ,the straight distance1 if ,i recall correctly1 was in the neighborhood of four hundred feet4 ,these preparations completed1 there was nothing left to do but to wait for something to happen4 ,spencer had declined to get alarmed about our fears for his own safety1 and only with difficulty had we been able to dissuade him from moving heaven and earth to find ,miss ,white1 a proceeding which must certainly have disarranged ,kennedy's carefully laid plans4 ,so interested was he that he postponed one of the most important business conferences of the year1 growing out of the anti-trust suits1 in order to be present with ,dr4 ,lith and ourselves in the little upper back room4 ,it was quite late when ,kennedy completed his hasty arrangements1 yet as the night advanced we grew more and more impatient for something to happen4 ,craig was apparently even more anxious than he had been the night before1 when we watched in the art-gallery itself4 ,spencer was nervously smoking1 lighting one cigar furiously from another until the air was almost blue4 ,scarcely a word was spoken as hour after hour ,craig sat with the receiver to his ear1 connected with the coils down in the storeroom4 8,you might call this an electric detective10 he had explained to ,spencer4 8,for example1 if you suspected that anything out of the way was going on in a room anywhere this would report much to you even if you were miles away4 ,it is the discovery of a student of ,thorne ,baker1 the ,english electrical expert4 ,he was experimenting with high-frequency electric currents1 investigating the nature of the discharges used for electrifying certain things4 ,quite by accident he found that when the room on which he was experimenting was occupied by some person his measuring-instruments indicated that fact4 ,he tested the degree of variation by passing the current first through the room and then through a sensitive crystal to a delicate telephone receiver4 ,there was a distinct change in the buzzing sound heard through the telephone when the room was occupied or unoccupied4 ,what ,i have done is to wind single loops of plain wire on each side of that room down there1 as well as to wind around the room a few turns of concealed copper wire4 ,these collectors are fitted to a crystal of carborundum and a telephone receiver40 ,we had each tried the thing and could hear a distinct buzzing in the receiver4 8,the presence of a man or woman in that room would be evident to a person listening miles away10 he went on4 8,a high-frequency current is constantly passing through that storeroom4 ,that is what causes that normal buzzing40 ,it was verging on midnight when ,kennedy suddenly cried3 8,here1 ,walter1 take this receiver4 ,you remember how the buzzing sounded4 ,listen4 ,tell me if you1 too1 can detect the change40 ,i clapped the receiver quickly to my ear4 ,indeed ,i could tell the difference4 ,in place of the load buzzing there was only a mild sound4 ,it was slower and lower4 8,that means10 he said excitedly1 8that some one has entered that pitch-dark storeroom by the broken window4 ,let me take the receiver back again4 ,ah1 the buzzing is coming back4 ,he is leaving the room4 ,i suppose he has found the electric light cane and the pistol where he left them4 ,now1 ,walter1 since you have become accustomed to this thing take it and tell me what you hear40 ,craig had already seized the other apparatus connected with the art-gallery and had the wireless receiver over his head4 ,he was listening with rapt attention1 talking while he waited4 8,this is an apparatus10 he was saying1 8that was devised by ,dr4 ,fournier d',albe1 lecturer on physics at ,birmingham ,university1 to aid the blind4 ,it is known as the optophone4 ,what ,i am literally doing now is to ,,hear light4 ,the optophone translates light into sound by means of that wonderful little element1 selenium1 which in darkness is a poor conductor of electricity1 but in light is a good conductor4 ,this property is used in the optophone in transmitting an electric current which is interrupted by a special clockwork interrupter4 ,it makes light and darkness audible in the telephone4 ,this thing over my head is like a wireless telephone receiver1 capable of detecting a current of even a quarter of a microampere40 ,we were all waiting expectantly for ,craig to speak4 ,evidently the intruder was now mounting the stairs to the art-gallery4 8,actually ,i can hear the light of the stars shining in through that wonderful plate glass skylight of yours1 ,mr4 ,spencer10 he went on4 8,a few moments ago when the moon shone through ,i could hear it1 like the rumble of a passing cart4 ,i knew it was the moon both because ,i could see that it must be shining in and because ,i recognised the sound4 ,the sun would thunder like a passing express-train if it were daytime now4 ,i can distinguish a shadow passing between the optophone and the light4 ,a hand moved across in front of it would give a purring sound1 and a glimpse out of a window in daylight would sound like a cinematograph reeling off a film4 8,ah1 there he is40 ,craig was listening with intense excitement now4 8,our intruder has entered the art-gallery4 ,he is flashing his electric light cane about at various objects1 reconnoitring4 ,no doubt if ,i were expert enough and had had time to study it1 ,i could tell you by the sound just what he is looking at40 8,craig10 ,i interrupted1 this time very excited myself1 8the buzzing from the high-frequency current is getting lower and lower40 8,by ,george1 then1 there is another of them10 he replied4 8,i'm not surprised4 ,keep a sharp watch4 ,tell me the moment the buzzing increases again40 ,spencer could scarcely control his impatience4 ,it had been a long time since he had been a mere spectator1 and he did not seem to relish being held in check by anybody4 8,now that you are sure the vandal is there10 he cut in1 his cigar out in his excitement1 8can't we make a dash over there and get him before he has a chance to do any more damage8 ,he might be destroying thousands of dollars' worth of stuff while we are waiting here40 8,and he could destroy the whole collection1 building and all1 including ourselves into the bargain1 if he heard so much as a whisper from us10 added ,kennedy firmly4 8,that second person has left the storeroom1 ,craig10 ,i put in4 8,the buzzing has returned again full force40 ,kennedy tore the wireless receiver from his ear4 8,here1 ,walter1 never mind about that electric detective any more1 then4 ,take the optophone4 ,describe minutely to me just exactly what you hear40 ,he had taken from his pocket a small metal ball4 ,i seized the receiver from him and fitted it to my ear4 ,it took me several instants to accustom my ears to the new sounds1 but they were plain enough1 and ,i shouted my impressions of their variations4 ,kennedy was busy at the window over the heavy package1 from which he had torn the wrapping4 ,his back was toward us1 and we could not see what he was doing4 ,a terrific din sounded in my ears1 almost splitting my ear-drums4 ,it was as though ,i had been suddenly hurled into a magnified cave of the winds and a cataract mightier than ,niagara was thundering at me4 ,it was so painful that ,i cried out in surprise and involuntarily dropped the receiver to the floor4 8,it was the switching on of the full glare of the electric lights in the art-gallery10 ,craig shouted4 8,the other person must have got up to the room quicker than ,i expected4 ,here goes40 ,a loud explosion took place1 apparently on the very window-sill of our room4 ,almost at the same instant there was a crash of glass from the museum4 ,we sprang to the window1 ,i expecting to see ,kennedy injured1 ,spencer expecting to see his costly museum a mass of smoking ruins4 ,instead we saw nothing of the sort4 ,on the window-ledge was a peculiar little instrument that looked like a miniature field-gun with an elaborate system of springs and levers to break the recoil4 ,craig had turned from it so suddenly that he actually ran full tilt into us4 8,come on10 he cried breathlessly1 bolting from the room1 and seizing ,dr4 ,lith by the arm as he did so4 8,dr4 ,lith1 the keys to the museum1 quick6 ,we must get there before the fumes clear away40 ,he was taking the stairs two at a time1 dragging the dignified curator with him4 ,in fewer seconds than ,i can tell it we were in the museum and mounting the broad staircase to the art-gallery4 ,an overpowering gas seemed to permeate everything4 8,stand back a moment10 cautioned ,kennedy as we neared the door4 8,i have just shot in here one of those asphyxiating bombs which the ,paris police invented to war against the ,apaches and the motor-car bandits4 ,open all the windows back here and let the air clear4 ,walter1 breathe as little of it as you can--but--come here--do you see8--over there1 near the other door--a figure lying on the floor8 ,make a dash in after me and carry it out4 ,there is just one thing more4 ,if ,i am not back in a minute come in and try to get me40 ,he had already preceded me into the stifling fumes4 ,with a last long breath of fresh air ,i plunged in after him1 scarcely knowing what would happen to me4 ,i saw the figure on the floor1 seized it1 and backed out of the room as fast as ,i could4 ,dizzy and giddy from the fumes ,i had been forced to inhale1 ,i managed to drag the form to the nearest window4 ,it was ,lucille ,white4 ,an instant later ,i felt myself unceremoniously pushed aside4 ,spencer had forgotten all about the millions of dollars' worth of curios1 all about the suspicions that had been entertained against her1 and had taken the half-conscious burden from me4 8,this is the second time ,i have found you here1 ,edouard10 she was muttering in her half-delirium1 still struggling4 8,the first time--that night ,i hid in the mummy-case1 you fled when ,i called for help4 ,i have followed you every moment since last night to prevent this4 ,edouard1 don't1 ,,don',t6 ,remember ,i was--,i am your wife4 ,listen to me4 ,oh1 it is the absinthe that has spoiled your art and made it worthless1 not the critics4 ,it is not ,mr4 ,spencer who has enticed me away1 but you who drove me away1 first from ,paris1 and now from ,new ,york4 ,he has been only--,no6 ,no6--0 she was shrieking now1 her eyes wide open as she realised it was ,spencer himself she saw leaning over her4 ,with a great effort she seemed to rouse herself4 8,don't stay4 ,run--run4 ,leave me4 ,he has a bomb that may go off at any moment4 ,oh--oh--it is the curse of absinthe that pursues me4 ,will you not go8 ,vite6 ,vite60 ,she had almost fainted and was lapsing into ,french1 laughing and crying alternately1 telling him to go1 yet clinging to him4 ,spencer paid no attention to what she had said of the bomb4 ,but ,i did4 ,the minute was up1 and ,kennedy was in there yet4 ,i turned to rush in again to warn him at any peril4 ,just then a half-conscious form staggered against me4 ,it was ,craig himself4 ,he was holding the infernal machine of the five glass tubes that might at any instant blow us into eternity4 ,overcome himself1 he stumbled4 ,the sinking sensation in my heart ,i can never describe4 ,it was just a second that ,i waited for the terrific explosion that was to end it all for us1 one long interminable second4 ,but it did not come4 ,limp as ,i was with the shock1 ,i dropped down beside him and bent over4 8,a glass of water1 ,walter10 he murmured1 8and fan me a bit4 ,i didn't dare trust myself to carry the thing complete1 so ,i emptied the acid into the sarcophagus4 ,i guess ,i must have stayed in there too long4 ,but we are safe4 ,see if you can drag out ,delaverde4 ,he is in there by the mummy-case40 ,spencer was still holding ,lucille1 although she was much better in the fresh air of the hall4 8,i understand10 he was muttering4 8,you have been following this fiend of a husband of yours to protect the museum and myself from him4 ,lucille1 ,lucille--look at me4 ,you are mine1 not his1 whether he is dead or alive4 ,i will free you from him1 from the curse of the absinthe that has pursued you40 ,the fumes had cleared a great deal by this time4 ,in the centre of the art-gallery we found a man1 a tall1 black-bearded ,frenchman1 crazy indeed from the curse of the green absinthe that had ruined him4 ,he was scarcely breathing from a deadly wound in his chest4 ,the hair-spring ring of the ,apache pistol had exploded the cartridge as he fell4 ,spencer did not even look at him1 as he carried his own burden down to the little office of ,dr4 ,lith4 8,when a rich man marries a girl who has been earning her own living1 the newspapers always distort it10 he whispered aside to me a few minutes later4 8,jameson1 you're a newspaperman--,i depend on you to get the facts straight this time40 ,outside1 ,kennedy grasped my arm4 8,you'll do that1 ,walter80 he asked persuasively4 8,spencer is a client that one doesn't get every day4 ,just drop into the ,star office and give them the straight story1 ,i'll promise you ,i'll not take another case until you are free again to go on with me in it40 ,there was no denying him4 ,as briefly as ,i could ,i rehearsed the main facts to the managing editor late that night4 ,i was too tired to write it at length1 yet ,i could not help a feeling of satisfaction as he exclaimed1 8,great stuff1 ,jameson1--great40 8,i know10 ,i replied1 8but this six-cylindered existence for a week wears you out40 8,my dear boy10 he persisted1 8if ,i had turned some one else loose on that story1 he'd have been dead4 ,go to it--it's fine40 ,it was a bit of blarney1 ,i knew4 ,but somehow or other ,i liked it4 ,it was just what ,i needed to encourage me1 and ,i hurried uptown promising myself a sound sleep at any rate4 8,very good10 remarked ,kennedy the next morning1 poking his head in at my door and holding up a copy of the ,star into which a very accurate brief account of the affair had been dropped at the last moment4 8,i'm going over to the laboratory4 ,see you there as soon as you can get over40 8,craig10 ,i remarked an hour or so later as ,i sauntered in on him1 hard at work1 8,i don't see how you stand this feverish activity40 8,stand it80 he repeated1 holding up a beaker to the light to watch a reaction4 8,it's my very life4 ,stand it8 ,why1 man1 if you want me to pass away--stop it4 ,as long as it lasts1 ,i shall be all right4 ,let it quit and ,i'll--,i'll go back to research work10 he laughed4 ,evidently he had been waiting for me1 for as he talked1 he laid aside the materials with which he had been working and was preparing to go out4 8,then1 too10 he went on1 8,i like to be with people like ,spencer and ,brixton4 ,for example1 while ,i was waiting here for you1 there came a call from ,emery ,pitts40 8,emery ,pitts80 ,i echoed4 8,what does he want80 8,the best way to find out is--to find out10 he answered simply4 8,it's getting late and ,i promised to be there directly4 ,i think we'd better take a taxi40 ,a few minutes later we were ushered into a large ,fifth ,avenue mansion and were listening to a story which interested even ,kennedy4 8,not even a blood spot has been disturbed in the kitchen4 ,nothing has been altered since the discovery of the murdered chef1 except that his body has been moved into the next room40 ,emery ,pitts1 one of the 8thousand millionaires of steel10 overwrought as he was by a murder in his own household1 sank back in his easy-chair1 exhausted4 ,pitts was not an old man2 indeed1 in years he was in the prime of life4 ,yet by his looks he might almost have been double his age1 the more so in contrast with ,minna ,pitts1 his young and very pretty wife1 who stood near him in the quaint breakfast-room and solicitously moved a pillow back of his head4 ,kennedy and ,i looked on in amazement4 ,we knew that he had recently retired from active business1 giving as a reason his failing health4 ,but neither of us had thought1 when the hasty summons came early that morning to visit him immediately at his house1 that his condition was as serious as it now appeared4 8,in the kitchen80 repeated ,kennedy1 evidently not prepared for any trouble in that part of the house4 ,pitts1 who had closed his eyes1 now reopened them slowly and ,i noticed how contracted were the pupils4 8,yes10 he answered somewhat wearily1 8my private kitchen which ,i have had fitted up4 ,you know1 ,i am on a diet1 have been ever since ,i offered the one hundred thousand dollars for the sure restoration of youth4 ,i shall have you taken out there presently40 ,he lapsed again into a half dreamy state1 his head bowed on one hand resting on the arm of his chair4 ,the morning's mail still lay on the table1 some letters open1 as they had been when the discovery had been announced4 ,mrs4 ,pitts was apparently much excited and unnerved by the gruesome discovery in the house4 8,you have no idea who the murderer might be80 asked ,kennedy1 addressing ,pitts1 but glancing keenly at his wife4 8,no10 replied ,pitts1 8if ,i had ,i should have called the regular police4 ,i wanted you to take it up before they spoiled any of the clues4 ,in the first place we do not think it could have been done by any of the other servants4 ,at least1 ,minna says that there was no quarrel40 8,how could any one have got in from the outside80 asked ,craig4 8,there is a back way1 a servants' entrance1 but it is usually locked4 ,of course some one might have obtained a key to it40 ,mrs4 ,pitts had remained silent throughout the dialogue4 ,i could not help thinking that she suspected something1 perhaps was concealing something4 ,yet each of them seemed equally anxious to have the marauder apprehended1 whoever he might be4 8,my dear10 he said to her at length1 8will you call some one and have them taken to the kitchen80 ,,ix ,,the ,,elixir ,,of ,,life ,as ,minna ,pitts led us through the large mansion preparatory to turning us over to a servant she explained hastily that ,mr4 ,pitts had long been ill and was now taking a new treatment under ,dr4 ,thompson ,lord4 ,no one having answered her bell in the present state of excitement of the house1 she stopped short at the pivoted door of the kitchen1 with a little shudder at the tragedy1 and stood only long enough to relate to us the story as she had heard it from the valet1 ,edward4 ,mr4 ,pitts1 it seemed1 had wanted an early breakfast and had sent ,edward to order it4 ,the valet had found the kitchen a veritable slaughter-house1 with1 the negro chef1 ,sam1 lying dead on the floor4 ,sam had been dead1 apparently1 since the night before4 ,as she hurried away1 ,kennedy pushed open the door4 ,it was a marvellous place1 that antiseptic or rather aseptic kitchen1 with its white tiling and enamel1 its huge ice-box1 and cooking-utensils for every purpose1 all of the most expensive and modern make4 ,there were marks everywhere of a struggle1 and by the side of the chef1 whose body now lay in the next room awaiting the coroner1 lay a long carving-knife with which he had evidently defended himself4 ,on its blade and haft were huge coagulated spots of blood4 ,the body of ,sam bore marks of his having been clutched violently by the throat1 and in his head was a single1 deep wound that penetrated the skull in a most peculiar manner4 ,it did not seem possible that a blow from a knife could have done it4 ,it was a most unusual wound and not at all the sort that could have been made by a bullet4 ,as ,kennedy examined it1 he remarked1 shaking his head in confirmation of his own opinion1 8,that must have been done by a ,behr bulletless gun40 8,a bulletless gun80 ,i repeated4 8,yes1 a sort of pistol with a spring-operated device that projects a sharp blade with great force4 ,no bullet and no powder are used in it4 ,but when it is placed directly over a vital point of the skull so that the aim is unerring1 a trigger lets a long knife shoot out with tremendous force1 and death is instantaneous40 ,near the door1 leading to the courtyard that opened on the side street1 were some spots of blood4 ,they were so far from the place where the valet had discovered the body of the chef that there could be no doubt that they were blood from the murderer himself4 ,kennedy's reasoning in the matter seemed irresistible4 ,he looked under the table near the door1 covered with a large light cloth4 ,beneath the table and behind the cloth he found another blood spot4 8,how did that land there80 he mused aloud4 8,the table-cloth is bloodless40 ,craig appeared to think a moment4 ,then he unlocked and opened the door4 ,a current of air was created and blew the cloth aside4 8,clearly10 he exclaimed1 8that drop of blood was wafted under the table as the door was opened4 ,the chances are all that it came from a cut on perhaps the hand or face of the murderer himself40 ,it seemed to be entirely reasonable1 for the bloodstains about the room were such as to indicate that he had been badly cut by the carving-knife4 8,whoever attacked the chef must have been deeply wounded10 ,i remarked1 picking up the bloody knife and looking about at the stains1 comparatively few of which could have come from the one deep fatal wound in the head of the victim4 ,kennedy was still engrossed in a study of the stains1 evidently considering that their size1 shape1 and location might throw some light on what had occurred4 8,walter10 he said finally1 8while ,i'm busy here1 ,i wish you would find that valet1 ,edward4 ,i want to talk to him40 ,i found him at last1 a clean-cut young fellow of much above average intelligence4 8,there are some things ,i have not yet got clearly1 ,edward10 began ,kennedy4 8,now where was the body1 exactly1 when you opened the door80 ,edward pointed out the exact spot1 near the side of the kitchen toward the door leading out to the breakfast room and opposite the ice-box4 8,and the door to the side street80 asked ,kennedy1 to all appearances very favorably impressed by the young man4 8,it was locked1 sir10 he answered positively4 ,kennedy was quite apparently considering the honesty and faithfulness of the servant4 ,at last he leaned over and asked quickly1 8,can ,i trust you80 ,the frank1 8,yes10 of the young fellow was convincing enough4 8,what ,i want10 pursued ,kennedy1 8is to have some one inside this house who can tell me as much as he can see of the visitors1 the messengers that come here this morning4 ,it will be an act of loyalty to your employer1 so that you need have no fear about that40 ,edward bowed1 and left us4 ,while ,i had been seeking him1 ,kennedy had telephoned hastily to his laboratory and had found one of his students there4 ,he had ordered him to bring down an apparatus which he described1 and some other material4 ,while we waited ,kennedy sent word to ,pitts that he wanted to see him alone for a few minutes4 ,the instrument appeared to be a rubber bulb and cuff with a rubber bag attached to the inside4 ,from it ran a tube which ended in another graduated glass tube with a thin line of mercury in it like a thermometer4 ,craig adjusted the thing over the brachial artery of ,pitts1 just above the elbow4 8,it may be a little uncomfortable1 ,mr4 ,pitts10 he apologised1 8but it will be for only a few minutes40 ,pressure through the rubber bulb shut off the artery so that ,kennedy could no longer feel the pulse at the wrist4 ,as he worked1 ,i began to see what he was after4 ,the reading on the graded scale of the height of the column of mercury indicated1 ,i knew1 blood pressure4 ,this time1 as he worked1 ,i noted also the flabby skin of ,pitts as well as the small and sluggish pupils of his eyes4 ,he completed his test in silence and excused himself1 although as we went back to the kitchen ,i was burning with curiosity4 8,what was it80 ,i asked4 8,what did you discover80 8,that10 he replied1 8was a sphygmomanometer1 something like the sphygmograph which we used once in another case4 ,normal blood pressure is #abe millimetres4 ,mr4 ,pitts shows a high pressure1 very high4 ,the large life insurance companies are now using this instrument4 ,they would tell you that a high pressure like that indicates apoplexy4 ,mr4 ,pitts1 young as he really is1 is actually old4 ,for1 you know1 the saying is that a man is as old as his arteries4 ,pitts has hardening of the arteries1 arteriosclerosis--perhaps other heart and kidney troubles1 in short pre-senility40 ,craig paused3 then added sententiously as if to himself3 8,you have heard the latest theories about old age1 that it is due to microbic poisons secreted in the intestines and penetrating the intestinal walls8 ,well1 in premature senility the symptoms are the same as in senility1 only mental acuteness is not so impaired40 ,we had now reached the kitchen again4 ,the student had also brought down to ,kennedy a number of sterilised microscope slides and test-tubes1 and from here and there in the masses of blood spots ,kennedy was taking and preserving samples4 ,he also took samples of the various foods1 which he preserved in the sterilised tubes4 ,while he was at work ,edward joined us cautiously4 8,has anything happened80 asked ,craig4 8,a message came by a boy for ,mrs4 ,pitts10 whispered the valet4 8,what did she do with it80 8,tore it up40 8,and the pieces80 8,she must have hidden them somewhere40 8,see if you can get them40 ,edward nodded and left us4 8,yes10 ,i remarked after he had gone1 8it does seem as if the thing to do was to get on the trail of a person bearing wounds of some kind4 ,i notice1 for one thing1 ,craig1 that ,edward shows no such marks1 nor does any one else in the house as far as ,i can see4 ,if it were an #8inside job' ,i fancy ,edward at least could clear himself4 ,the point is to find the person with a bandaged hand or plastered face40 ,kennedy assented1 but his mind was on another subject4 8,before we go we must see ,mrs4 ,pitts alone1 if we can10 he said simply4 ,in answer to his inquiry through one of the servants she sent down word that she would see us immediately in her sitting-room4 ,the events of the morning had quite naturally upset her1 and she was1 if anything1 even paler than when we saw her before4 8,mrs4 ,pitts10 began ,kennedy1 8,i suppose you are aware of the physical condition of your husband80 ,it seemed a little abrupt to me at first1 but he intended it to be4 8,why10 she asked with real alarm1 8is he so very badly80 8,pretty badly10 remarked ,kennedy mercilessly1 observing the effect of his words4 8,so badly1 ,i fear1 that it would not require much more excitement like to-day's to bring on an attack of apoplexy4 ,i should advise you to take especial care of him1 ,mrs4 ,pitts40 ,following his eyes1 ,i tried to determine whether the agitation of the woman before us was genuine or not4 ,it certainly looked so4 ,but then1 ,i knew that she had been an actress before her marriage4 ,was she acting a part now8 8,what do you mean80 she asked tremulously4 8,mrs4 ,pitts10 replied ,kennedy quickly1 observing still the play of emotion on her delicate features1 8some one1 ,i believe1 either regularly in or employed in this house or who had a ready means of access to it must have entered that kitchen last night4 ,for what purpose1 ,i can leave you to judge4 ,but ,sam surprised the intruder there and was killed for his faithfulness40 ,her startled look told plainly that though she might have suspected something of the sort she did not think that any one else suspected1 much less actually perhaps knew it4 8,i can't imagine who it could be1 unless it might be one of the servants10 she murmured hastily2 adding1 8and there is none of them that ,i have any right to suspect40 ,she had in a measure regained her composure1 and ,kennedy felt that it was no use to pursue the conversation further1 perhaps expose his hand before he was ready to play it4 8,that woman is concealing something10 remarked ,kennedy to me as we left the house a few minutes later4 8,she at least bears no marks of violence herself of any kind10 ,i commented4 8,no10 agreed ,craig1 8no1 you are right so far40 ,he added3 8,i shall be very busy in the laboratory this afternoon1 and probably longer4 ,however1 drop in at dinner time1 and in the meantime1 don't say a word to any one1 but just use your position on the ,star to keep in touch with anything the police authorities may be doing40 ,it was not a difficult commission1 since they did nothing but issue a statement1 the net import of which was to let the public know that they were very active1 although they had nothing to report4 ,kennedy was still busy when ,i rejoined him1 a little late purposely1 since ,i knew that he would be over his head in work4 8,what's this--a zoo80 ,i asked1 looking about me as ,i entered the sanctum that evening4 ,there were dogs and guinea pigs1 rats and mice1 a menagerie that would have delighted a small boy4 ,it did not look like the same old laboratory for the investigation of criminal science1 though ,i saw on a second glance that it was the same1 that there was the usual hurly-burly of microscopes1 test-tubes1 and all the paraphernalia that were so mystifying at first but in the end under his skilful hand made the most complicated cases seem stupidly simple4 ,craig smiled at my surprise4 8,i'm making a little study of intestinal poisons10 he commented1 8poisons produced by microbes which we keep under more or less control in healthy life4 ,in death they are the little fellows that extend all over the body and putrefy it4 ,we nourish within ourselves microbes which secrete very virulent poisons1 and when those poisons are too much for us--well1 we grow old4 ,at least that is the theory of ,metchnikoff1 who says that old age is an infectious chronic1 disease4 ,somehow10 he added thoughtfully1 8that beautiful white kitchen in the ,pitts home had really become a factory for intestinal poisons40 ,there was an air of suppressed excitement in his manner which told me that ,kennedy was on the trail of something unusual4 8,mouth murder10 he cried at length1 8that was what was being done in that wonderful kitchen4 ,do you know1 the scientific slaying of human beings has far exceeded organised efforts at detection8 ,of course you expect me to say that2 you think ,i look at such things through coloured glasses4 ,but it is a fact1 nevertheless4 8,it is a very simple matter for the police to apprehend the common murderer whose weapon is a knife or a gun1 but it is a different thing when they investigate the death of a person who has been the victim of the modern murderer who slays1 let us say1 with some kind of deadly bacilli4 ,authorities say1 and ,i agree with them1 that hundreds of murders are committed in this country every year and are not detected because the detectives are not scientists1 while the slayers have used the knowledge of the scientists both to commit and to cover up the crimes4 ,i tell you1 ,walter1 a murder science bureau not only would clear up nearly every poison mystery1 but also it would inspire such a wholesome fear among would-be murderers that they would abandon many attempts to take life40 ,he was as excited over the case as ,i had ever seen him4 ,indeed it was one that evidently taxed his utmost powers4 8,what have you found80 ,i asked1 startled4 8,you remember my use of the sphygmomanometer80 he asked4 8,in the first place that put me on what seems to be a clear trail4 ,the most dreaded of all the ills of the cardiac and vascular systems nowadays seems to be arterio-sclerosis1 or hardening of the arteries4 ,it is possible for a man of forty-odd1 like ,mr4 ,pitts1 to have arteries in a condition which would not be encountered normally in persons under seventy years of age4 8,the hard or hardening artery means increased blood pressure1 with a consequent increased strain on the heart4 ,this may lead1 has led in this case1 to a long train of distressing symptoms1 and1 of course1 to ultimate death4 ,heart disease1 according to statistics1 is carrying off a greater percentage of persons than formerly4 ,this fact cannot be denied1 and it is attributed largely to worry1 the abnormal rush of the life of to-day1 and sometimes to faulty methods of eating and bad nutrition4 ,on the surface1 these natural causes might seem to be at work with ,mr4 ,pitts4 ,but1 ,walter1 ,i do not believe it1 ,i do not believe it4 ,there is more than that1 here4 ,come1 ,i can do nothing more to-night1 until ,i learn more from these animals and the cultures which ,i have in these tubes4 ,let us take a turn or two1 then dine1 and perhaps we may get some word at our apartment from ,edward40 ,it was late that night when a gentle tap at the door proved that ,kennedy's hope had not been unfounded4 ,i opened it and let in ,edward1 the valet1 who produced the fragments of a note1 torn and crumpled4 8,there is nothing new1 sir10 he explained1 8except that ,mrs4 ,pitts seems more nervous than ever1 and ,mr4 ,pitts1 ,i think1 is feeling a little brighter40 ,kennedy said nothing1 but was hard at work with puckered brows at piecing together the note which ,edward had obtained after hunting through the house4 ,it had been thrown into a fireplace in ,mrs4 ,pitts's own room1 and only by chance had part of it been unconsumed4 ,the body of the note was gone altogether1 but the first part and the last part remained4 ,apparently it had been written the very morning on which the murder was discovered4 ,it read simply1 8,i have succeeded in having ,thornton declared 4440 ,then there was a break4 ,the last words were legible1 and were1 8444 confined in a suitable institution where he can cause no future harm40 ,there was no signature1 as if the sender had perfectly understood that the receiver would understand4 8,not difficult to supply some of the context1 at any rate10 mused ,kennedy4 8,whoever ,thornton may be1 some one has succeeded in having him declared #8insane1' ,i should supply4 ,if he is in an institution near ,new ,york1 we must be able to locate him4 ,edward1 this is a very important clue4 ,there is nothing else40 ,kennedy employed the remainder of the night in obtaining a list of all the institutions1 both public and private1 within a considerable radius of the city where the insane might be detained4 ,the next morning1 after an hour or so spent in the laboratory apparently in confirming some control tests which ,kennedy had laid out to make sure that he was not going wrong in the line of inquiry he was pursuing1 we started off in a series of flying visits to the various sanitaria about the city in search of an inmate named ,thornton4 ,i will not attempt to describe the many curious sights and experiences we saw and had4 ,i could readily believe that any one who spent even as little time as we did might almost think that the very world was going rapidly insane4 ,there were literally thousands of names in the lists which we examined patiently1 going through them all1 since ,kennedy was not at all sure that ,thornton might not be a first name1 and we had no time to waste on taking any chances4 ,it was not until long after dusk that1 weary with the search and dust-covered from our hasty scouring of the country in an automobile which ,kennedy had hired after exhausting the city institutions1 we came to a small private asylum up in ,westchester4 ,i had almost been willing to give it up for the day1 to start afresh on the morrow1 but ,kennedy seemed to feel that the case was too urgent to lose even twelve hours over4 ,it was a peculiar place1 isolated1 out-of-the-way1 and guarded by a high brick wall that enclosed a pretty good sized garden4 ,a ring at the bell brought a sharp-eyed maid to the door4 8,have you--er--any one here named ,thornton--er--80 ,kennedy paused in such a way that if it were the last name he might come to a full stop1 and if it were a first name he could go on4 8,there is a ,mr4 ,thornton who came yesterday10 she snapped ungraciously1 8but you can not see him1 ,it's against the rules40 8,yes--yesterday10 repeated ,kennedy eagerly1 ignoring her tartness4 8,could ,i--0 he slipped a crumpled treasury note into her hand--8could ,i speak to ,mr4 ,thornton's nurse80 ,the note seemed to render the acidity of the girl slightly alkaline4 ,she opened the door a little further1 and we found ourselves in a plainly furnished reception room1 alone4 ,we might have been in the reception-room of a prosperous country gentleman1 so quiet was it4 ,there was none of the raving1 as far as ,i could make out1 that ,i should have expected even in a twentieth century ,bedlam1 no material for a ,poe story of ,dr4 ,tarr and ,professor ,feather4 ,at length the hall door opened1 and a man entered1 not a prepossessing man1 it is true1 with his large and powerful hands and arms and slightly bowed1 almost bulldog legs4 ,yet he was not of that aggressive kind which would make a show of physical strength without good and sufficient cause4 8,you have charge of ,mr4 ,thornton80 inquired ,kennedy4 8,yes10 was the curt response4 8,i trust he is all right here80 8,he wouldn't be here if he was all right10 was the quick reply4 8,and who might you be80 8,i knew him in the old days10 replied ,craig evasively4 8,my friend here does not know him1 but ,i was in this part of ,westchester visiting and having heard he was here thought ,i would drop in1 just for old time's sake4 ,that is all40 8,how did you know he was here80 asked the man suspiciously4 8,i heard indirectly from a friend of mine1 ,mrs4 ,pitts40 8,oh40 ,the man seemed to accept the explanation at its face value4 8,is he very--very badly80 asked ,craig with well-feigned interest4 8,well10 replied the man1 a little mollified by a good cigar which ,i produced1 8don't you go a-telling her1 but if he says the name ,minna once a day it is a thousand times4 ,them drug-dopes has some strange delusions40 8,strange delusions80 queried ,craig4 8,why1 what do you mean80 8,say10 ejaculated the man4 8,i don't know you1 ,you come here saying you're friends of ,mr4 ,thornton's4 ,how do ,i know what you are80 8,well10 ventured ,kennedy1 8suppose ,i should also tell you ,i am a friend of the man who committed him40 8,of ,dr4 ,thompson ,lord80 8,exactly4 ,my friend here knows ,dr4 ,lord very well1 don't you1 ,walter80 ,thus appealed to ,i hastened to add1 8,indeed ,i do40 ,then1 improving the opening1 ,i hastened3 8,is this ,mr4 ,thornton violent8 ,i think this is one of the most quiet institutions ,i ever saw for so small a place40 ,the man shook his head4 8,because10 ,i added1 8,i thought some drug fiends were violent and had to be restrained by force1 often40 8,you won't find a mark or a scratch on him1 sir10 replied the man4 8,that ain't our system40 8,not a mark or scratch on him10 repeated ,kennedy thoughtfully4 8,i wonder if he'd recognise me80 8,can't say10 concluded the man4 8,what's more1 can't try4 ,it's against the rules4 ,only your knowing so many he knows has got you this far4 ,you'll have to call on a regular day or by appointment to see him1 gentlemen40 ,there was an air of finality about the last statement that made ,kennedy rise and move toward the door with a hearty 8,thank you1 for your kindness10 and a wish to be remembered to 8poor old ,thornton40 ,as we climbed into the car he poked me in the ribs4 8,just as good for the present as if we had seen him10 he exclaimed4 8,drug-fiend1 friend of ,mrs4 ,pitts1 committed by ,dr4 ,lord1 no wounds40 ,then he lapsed into silence as we sped back to the city4 8,the ,pitts house10 ordered ,kennedy as we bowled along1 after noting by his watch that it was after nine4 ,then to me he added1 8,we must see ,mrs4 ,pitts once more1 and alone40 ,we waited some time after ,kennedy sent up word that he would like to see ,mrs4 ,pitts4 ,at last she appeared4 ,i thought she avoided ,kennedy's eye1 and ,i am sure that her intuition told her that he had some revelation to make1 against which she was steeling herself4 ,craig greeted her as reassuringly as he could1 but as she sat nervously before us1 ,i could see that she was in reality pale1 worn1 and anxious4 8,we have had a rather hard day10 began ,kennedy after the usual polite inquiries about her own and her husband's health had been1 ,i thought1 a little prolonged by him4 8,indeed80 she asked4 8,have you come any closer to the truth80 ,kennedy met her eyes1 and she turned away4 8,yes1 ,mr4 ,jameson and ,i have put in the better part of the day in going from one institution for the insane to another40 ,he paused4 ,the startled look on her face told as plainly as words that his remark had struck home4 ,without giving her a chance to reply1 or to think of a verbal means of escape1 ,craig hurried on with an account of what we had done1 saying nothing about the original letter which had started us on the search for ,thornton1 but leaving it to be inferred by her that he knew much more than he cared to tell4 8,in short1 ,mrs4 ,pitts10 he concluded firmly1 8,i do not need to tell you that ,i already know much about the matter which you are concealing40 ,the piling up of fact on fact1 mystifying as it was to me who had as yet no inkling of what it was tending toward1 proved too much for the woman who knew the truth1 yet did not know how much ,kennedy knew of it4 ,minna ,pitts was pacing the floor wildly1 all the assumed manner of the actress gone from her1 yet with the native grace and feeling of the born actress playing unrestrained in her actions4 8,you know only part of my story10 she cried1 fixing him with her now tearless eyes4 8,it is only a question of time when you will worm it all out by your uncanny1 occult methods4 ,mr4 ,kennedy1 ,i cast myself on you40 ,x ,,the ,,toxin ,,of ,,death ,the note of appeal in her tone was powerful1 but ,i could not so readily shake off my first suspicions of the woman4 ,whether or not she convinced ,kennedy1 he did not show4 8,i was only a young girl when ,i met ,mr4 ,thornton10 she raced on4 8,i was not yet eighteen when we were married4 ,too late1 ,i found out the curse of his life--and of mine4 ,he was a drug fiend4 ,from the very first life with him was insupportable4 ,i stood it as long as ,i could1 but when he beat me because he had no money to buy drugs1 ,i left him4 ,i gave myself up to my career on the stage4 ,later ,i heard that he was dead--a suicide4 ,i worked1 day and night1 slaved1 and rose in the profession--until1 at last1 ,i met ,mr4 ,pitts40 ,she paused1 and it was evident that it was with a struggle that she could talk so4 8,three months after ,i was married to him1 ,thornton suddenly reappeared1 from the dead it seemed to me4 ,he did not want me back4 ,no1 indeed4 ,all he wanted was money4 ,i gave him money1 my own money1 for ,i made a great deal in my stage days4 ,but his demands increased4 ,to silence him ,i have paid him thousands4 ,he squandered them faster than ever4 ,and finally1 when it became unbearable1 ,i appealed to a friend4 ,that friend has now succeeded in placing this man quietly in a sanitarium for the insane40 8,and the murder of the chef80 shot out ,kennedy4 ,she looked from one to the other of us in alarm4 8,before ,god1 ,i know no more of that than does ,mr4 ,pitts40 ,was she telling the truth8 ,would she stop at anything to avoid the scandal and disgrace of the charge of bigamy8 ,was there not something still that she was concealing8 ,she took refuge in the last resort--tears4 ,encouraging as it was to have made such progress1 it did not seem to me that we were much nearer1 after all1 to the solution of the mystery4 ,kennedy1 as usual1 had nothing to say until he was absolutely sure of his ground4 ,he spent the greater part of the next day hard at work over the minute investigations of his laboratory1 leaving me to arrange the details of a meeting he planned for that night4 ,there were present ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,pitts1 the former in charge of ,dr4 ,lord4 ,the valet1 ,edward1 was also there1 and in a neighbouring room was ,thornton in charge of two nurses from the sanitarium4 ,thornton was a sad wreck of a man now1 whatever he might have been when his blackmail furnished him with an unlimited supply of his favourite drugs4 8,let us go back to the very start of the case10 began ,kennedy when we had all assembled1 8the murder of the chef1 ,sam40 ,it seemed that the mere sound of his voice electrified his little audience4 ,i fancied a shudder passed over the slight form of ,mrs4 ,pitts1 as she must have realised that this was the point where ,kennedy had left off1 in his questioning her the night before4 8,there is10 he went on slowly1 8a blood test so delicate that one might almost say that he could identify a criminal by his very blood-crystals--the fingerprints1 so to speak1 of his blood4 ,it was by means of these #8hemoglobin clues1' if ,i may call them so1 that ,i was able to get on the right trail4 ,for the fact is that a man's blood is not like that of any other living creature4 ,blood of different men1 of men and women differ4 ,i believe that in time we shall be able to refine this test to tell the exact individual1 too4 8,what is this principle8 ,it is that the hemoglobin or red colouring-matter of the blood forms crystals4 ,that has long been known1 but working on this fact ,dr4 ,reichert and ,professor ,brown of the ,university of ,pennsylvania have made some wonderful discoveries4 8,we could distinguish human from animal blood before1 it is true4 ,but the discovery of these two scientists takes us much further4 ,by means of blood-crystals we can distinguish the blood of man from that of the animals and in addition that of white men from that of negroes and other races4 ,it is often the only way of differentiating between various kinds of blood4 8,the variations in crystals in the blood are in part of form and in part of molecular structure1 the latter being discovered only by means of the polarising microscope4 ,a blood-crystal is only one two-thousand-two-hundred-and-fiftieth of an inch in length and one nine-thousandth of an inch in breadth4 ,and yet minute as these crystals are1 this discovery is of immense medico-legal importance4 ,crime may now be traced by blood-crystals40 ,he displayed on his table a number of enlarged micro-photographs4 ,some were labelled1 8,characteristic crystals of white man's blood02 others 8,crystallisation of negro blood02 still others1 8,blood-crystals of the cat40 8,i have here10 he resumed1 after we had all examined the photographs and had seen that there was indeed a vast amount of difference1 8three characteristic kinds of crystals1 all of which ,i found in the various spots in the kitchen of ,mr4 ,pitts4 ,there were three kinds of blood1 by the infallible ,reichert test40 ,i had been prepared for his discovery of two kinds1 but three heightened the mystery still more4 8,there was only a very little of the blood which was that of the poor1 faithful1 unfortunate ,sam1 the negro chef10 ,kennedy went on4 8,a little more1 found far from his body1 is that of a white person4 ,but most of it is not human blood at all4 ,it was the blood of a cat40 ,the revelation was startling4 ,before any of us could ask1 he hastened to explain4 8,it was placed there by some one who wished to exaggerate the struggle in order to divert suspicion4 ,that person had indeed been wounded slightly1 but wished it to appear that the wounds were very serious4 ,the fact of the matter is that the carving-knife is spotted deeply with blood1 but it is not human blood4 ,it is the blood of a cat4 ,a few years ago even a scientific detective would have concluded that a fierce hand-to-hand struggle had been waged and that the murderer was1 perhaps1 fatally wounded4 ,now1 another conclusion stands1 proved infallibly by this ,reichert test4 ,the murderer was wounded1 but not badly4 ,that person even went out of the room and returned later1 probably with a can of animal blood1 sprinkled it about to give the appearance of a struggle1 perhaps thought of preparing in this way a plea of self-defence4 ,if that latter was the case1 this ,reichert test completely destroys it1 clever though it was40 ,no one spoke1 but the same thought was openly in all our minds4 ,who was this wounded criminal8 ,i asked myself the usual query of the lawyers and the detectives--,who would benefit most by the death of ,pitts8 ,there was but one answer1 apparently1 to that4 ,it was ,minna ,pitts4 ,yet it was difficult for me to believe that a woman of her ordinary gentleness could be here to-night1 faced even by so great exposure1 yet be so solicitous for him as she had been and then at the same time be plotting against him4 ,i gave it up1 determining to let ,kennedy unravel it in his own way4 ,craig evidently had the same thought in his mind1 however1 for he continued3 8,was it a woman who killed the chef8 ,no1 for the third specimen of blood1 that of the white person1 was the blood of a man2 not of a woman40 ,pitts had been following closely1 his unnatural eyes now gleaming4 8,you said he was wounded1 you remember10 he interrupted1 as if casting about in his mind to recall some one who bore a recent wound4 8,perhaps it was not a bad wound1 but it was a wound nevertheless1 and some one must have seen it1 must know about it4 ,it is not three days40 ,kennedy shook his head4 ,it was a point that had bothered him a great deal4 8,as to the wounds10 he added in a measured tone 8although this occurred scarcely three days ago1 there is no person even remotely suspected of the crime who can be said to bear on his hands or face others than old scars of wounds40 ,he paused4 ,then he shot out in quick staccato1 8,did you ever hear of ,dr4 ,carrel's most recent discovery of accelerating the healing of wounds so that those which under ordinary circumstances might take ten days to heal might be healed in twenty-four hours80 ,rapidly1 now1 he sketched the theory4 8,if the factors that bring about the multiplication of cells and the growth of tissues were discovered1 ,dr4 ,carrel said to himself1 it would perhaps become possible to hasten artificially the process of repair of the body4 ,aseptic wounds could probably be made to cicatrise more rapidly4 ,if the rate of reparation of tissue were hastened only ten times1 a skin wound would heal in less than twenty-four hours and a fracture of the leg in four or five days4 8,for five years ,dr4 ,carrel has been studying the subject1 applying various extracts to wounded tissues4 ,all of them increased the growth of connective tissue1 but the degree of acceleration varied greatly4 ,in some cases it was as high1 as forty times the normal4 ,dr4 ,carrel's dream of ten times the normal was exceeded by himself40 ,astounded as we were by this revelation1 ,kennedy did not seem to consider it as important as one that he was now hastening to show us4 ,he took a few cubic centimetres of some culture which he had been preparing1 placed it in a tube1 and poured in eight or ten drops of sulphuric acid4 ,he shook it4 8,i have here a culture from some of the food that ,i found was being or had been prepared for ,mr4 ,pitts4 ,it was in the icebox40 ,then he took another tube4 8,this10 he remarked1 8is a one-to-one-thousand solution of sodium nitrite40 ,he held it up carefully and poured three or four cubic centimetres of it into the first tube so that it ran carefully down the side in a manner such as to form a sharp line of contact between the heavier culture with the acid and the lighter nitrite solution4 8,you see10 he said1 8the reaction is very clear cut if you do it this way4 ,the ordinary method in the laboratory and the text-books is crude and uncertain40 8,what is it80 asked ,pitts eagerly1 leaning forward with unwonted strength and noting the pink colour that appeared at the junction of the two liquids1 contrasting sharply with the portions above and below4 8,the ring or contact test for indol10 ,kennedy replied1 with evident satisfaction4 8,when the acid and the nitrites are mixed the colour reaction is unsatisfactory4 ,the natural yellow tint masks that pink tint1 or sometimes causes it to disappear1 if the tube is shaken4 ,but this is simple1 clear1 delicate--unescapable4 ,there was indol in that food of yours1 ,mr4 ,pitts40 8,indol80 repeated ,pitts4 8,is10 explained ,kennedy1 8a chemical compound--one of the toxins secreted by intestinal bacteria and responsible for many of the symptoms of senility4 ,it used to be thought that large doses of indol might be consumed with little or no effect on normal man1 but now we know that headache1 insomnia1 confusion1 irritability1 decreased activity of the cells1 and intoxication are possible from it4 ,comparatively small doses over a long time produce changes in organs that lead to serious results4 8,it is10 went on ,kennedy1 as the full horror of the thing sank into our minds1 8the indol-and phenol-producing bacteria which are the undesirable citizens of the body1 while the lactic-acid producing germs check the production of indol and phenol4 ,in my tests here to-day1 ,i injected four one-hundredths of a grain of indol into a guinea-pig4 ,the animal had sclerosis or hardening of the aorta4 ,the liver1 kidneys1 and supra-renals were affected1 and there was a hardening of the brain4 ,in short1 there were all the symptoms of old age40 ,we sat aghast4 ,indol6 ,what black magic was this8 ,who put it in the food8 8,it is present10 continued ,craig1 8in much larger quantities than all the ,metchnikoff germs could neutralise4 ,what the chef was ordered to put into the food to benefit you1 ,mr4 ,pitts1 was rendered valueless1 and a deadly poison was added by what another--0 ,minna ,pitts had been clutching for support at the arms of her chair as ,kennedy proceeded4 ,she now threw herself at the feet of ,emery ,pitts4 8,forgive me10 she sobbed4 8,i can stand it no longer4 ,i had tried to keep this thing about ,thornton from you4 ,i have tried to make you happy and well--oh--tried so hard1 so faithfully4 ,yet that old skeleton of my past which ,i thought was buried would not stay buried4 ,i have bought ,thornton off again and again1 with money--my money--only to find him threatening again4 ,but about this other thing1 this poison1 ,i am as innocent1 and ,i believe ,thornton is as--0 ,craig laid a gentle hand on her lips4 ,she rose wildly and faced him in passionate appeal4 8,who--who is this ,thornton80 demanded ,emery ,pitts4 ,quickly1 delicately1 sparing her as much as he could1 ,craig hurried over our experiences4 8,he is in the next room10 ,craig went on1 then facing ,pitts added3 8,with you alive1 ,emery ,pitts1 this blackmail of your wife might have gone on1 although there was always the danger that you might hear of it--and do as ,i see you have already done--forgive1 and plan to right the unfortunate mistake4 ,but with you dead1 this ,thornton1 or rather some one using him1 might take away from ,minna ,pitts her whole interest in your estate1 at a word4 ,the law1 or your heirs at law1 would never forgive as you would40 ,pitts1 long poisoned by the subtle microbic poison1 stared at ,kennedy as if dazed4 8,who was caught in your kitchen1 ,mr4 ,pitts1 and1 to escape detection1 killed your faithful chef and covered his own traces so cleverly80 rapped out ,kennedy4 8,who would have known the new process of healing wounds8 ,who knew about the fatal properties of indol8 ,who was willing to forego a one-hundred-thousand-dollar prize in order to gain a fortune of many hundreds of thousands80 ,kennedy paused1 then finished with irresistibly dramatic logic2 8,who else but the man who held the secret of ,minna ,pitts's past and power over her future so long as he could keep alive the unfortunate ,thornton--the up-to-date doctor who substituted an elixir of death at night for the elixir of life prescribed for you by him in the daytime--,dr4 ,lord40 ,kennedy had moved quietly toward the door4 ,it was unnecessary4 ,dr4 ,lord was cornered and knew it4 ,he made no fight4 ,in fact1 instantly his keen mind was busy outlining his battle in court1 relying on the conflicting testimony of hired experts4 8,minna10 murmured ,pitts1 falling back1 exhausted by the excitement1 on his pillows1 8,minna--forgive8 ,what is there to forgive8 ,the only thing to do is to correct4 ,i shall be well--soon now--my dear4 ,then all will be straightened out40 8,walter10 whispered ,kennedy to me1 8while we are waiting1 you can arrange to have ,thornton cared for at ,dr4 ,hodge's ,sanitarium40 ,he handed me a card with the directions where to take the unfortunate man4 ,when at last ,i had ,thornton placed where no one else could do any harm through him1 ,i hastened back to the laboratory4 ,craig was still there1 waiting alone4 8,that ,dr4 ,lord will be a tough customer10 he remarked4 8,of course you're not interested in what happens in a case after we have caught the criminal4 ,but that often is really only the beginning of the fight4 ,we've got him safely lodged in the ,tombs now1 however40 8,i wish there was some elixir for fatigue10 ,i remarked1 as we closed the laboratory that night4 8,there is10 he replied4 8,a homeopathic remedy--more fatigue40 ,we started on our usual brisk roundabout walk to the apartment4 ,but instead of going to bed1 ,kennedy drew a book from the bookcase4 8,i shall read myself to sleep to-night10 he explained1 settling deeply in his chair4 ,as for me1 ,i went directly to my room1 planning that to-morrow ,i would take several hours off and catch up in my notes4 ,that morning ,kennedy was summoned downtown and had to interrupt more important duties in order to appear before ,dr4 ,leslie in the coroner's inquest over the death of the chef4 ,dr4 ,lord was held for the ,grand ,jury1 but it was not until nearly noon that ,craig returned4 ,we were just about to go out to luncheon1 when the door buzzer sounded4 8,a note for ,mr4 ,kennedy10 announced a man in a police uniform1 with a blue anchor edged with white on his coat sleeve4 ,craig tore open the envelope quickly with his forefinger4 ,headed 8,harbour ,police1 ,station ,no4 #c1 ,staten ,island10 was an urgent message from our old friend ,deputy ,commissioner ,o',connor4 8,i have taken personal charge of a case here that is sufficiently out of the ordinary to interest you10 ,i read when ,kennedy tossed the note over to me and nodded to the man from the harbour squad to wait for us4 8,the ,curtis family wish to retain a private detective to work in conjunction with the police in investigating the death of ,bertha ,curtis1 whose body was found this morning in the waters of ,kill van ,kull40 ,kennedy and ,i lost no time in starting downtown with the policeman who had brought the note4 ,the ,curtises1 as we knew1 were among the prominent families of ,manhattan and ,i recalled having heard that at one time ,bertha ,curtis had been an actress1 in spite of the means and social position of her family1 from whom she had become estranged as a result4 ,at the station of the harbour police1 ,o',connor and another man1 who was in a state of extreme excitement1 greeted us almost before we had landed4 8,there have been some queer doings about here10 exclaimed the deputy as he grasped ,kennedy's hand1 8but first of all let me introduce ,mr4 ,walker ,curtis40 ,in a lower tone as we walked up the dock ,o',connor continued1 8,he is the brother of the girl whose body the men in the launch at the station found in the ,kill this morning4 ,they thought at first that the girl had committed suicide1 making it doubly sure by jumping into the water1 but he will not believe it and1--well1 if you'll just come over with us to the local undertaking establishment1 ,i'd like to have you take a look at the body and see if your opinion coincides with mine4 8,ordinarily10 pursued ,o',connor1 8there isn't much romance in harbour police work nowadays1 but in this case some other elements seem to be present which are not usually associated with violent deaths in the waters of the bay1 and ,i have1 as you will see1 thought it necessary to take personal charge of the investigation4 8,now1 to shorten the story as much as possible1 ,kennedy1 you know of course that the legislature at the last session enacted laws prohibiting the sale of such drugs as opium1 morphine1 cocaine1 chloral and others1 under much heavier penalties than before4 ,the ,health authorities not long ago reported to us that dope was being sold almost openly1 without orders from physicians1 at several scores of places and we have begun a crusade for the enforcement of the law4 ,of course you know how prohibition works in many places and how the law is beaten4 ,the dope fiends seem to be doing the same thing with this law4 8,of course nowadays everybody talks about a #8system' controlling everything1 so ,i suppose people would say that there is a #8dope trust4' ,at any rate we have run up against at least a number of places that seem to be banded together in some way1 from the lowest down in ,chinatown to one very swell joint uptown around what the newspapers are calling #8,crime ,square4' ,it is not that this place is pandering to criminals or the women of the ,tenderloin that interests us so much as that its patrons are men and women of fashionable society whose jangled nerves seem to demand a strong narcotic4 8,this particular place seems to be a headquarters for obtaining them1 especially opium and its derivatives4 8,one of the frequenters of the place was this unfortunate girl1 ,bertha ,curtis4 ,i have watched her go in and out myself1 wild-eyed1 nervous1 mentally and physically wrecked for life4 ,perhaps twenty-five or thirty persons visit the place each day4 ,it is run by a man known as #8,big ,jack' ,clendenin who was once an actor and1 ,i believe1 met and fascinated ,miss ,curtis during her brief career on the stage4 ,he has an attendant there1 a ,jap1 named ,nichi ,moto1 who is a perfect enigma4 ,i can't understand him on any reasonable theory4 ,a long time ago we raided the place and packed up a lot of opium1 pipes1 material and other stuff4 ,we found ,clendenin there1 this girl1 several others1 and the ,jap4 ,i never understood just how it was but somehow ,clendenin got off with a nominal fine and a few days later opened up again4 ,we were watching the place1 getting ready to raid it again and present such evidence that ,clendenin couldn't possibly beat it1 when all of a sudden along came this--this tragedy40 ,we had at last arrived at the private establishment which was doing duty as a morgue4 ,the bedraggled form that had been bandied about by the tides all night lay covered up in the cold damp basement4 ,bertha ,curtis had been a girl of striking beauty once4 ,for a long time ,i gazed at the swollen features before ,i realised what it was that fascinated and puzzled me about her4 ,kennedy1 however1 after a casual glance had arrived at at least a part of her story4 8,that girl10 he whispered to me so that her brother could not hear1 8has led a pretty fast life4 ,look at those nails1 yellow and dark4 ,it isn't a weak face1 either4 ,i wouldn't be surprised if the whole thing1 the ,oriental glamour and all that1 fascinated her as much as the drug40 ,so far the case with its heartrending tragedy had all the earmarks of suicide4 ,,xi ,,the ,,opium ,,joint ,o',connor drew back the sheet which covered her and in the calf of the leg disclosed an ugly bullet hole4 ,ugly as it was1 however1 it was anything but dangerous and seemed to indicate nothing as to the real cause of her death4 ,he drew from his pocket a slightly misshapen bullet which had been probed from the wound and handed it to ,kennedy1 who examined both the wound and the bullet carefully4 ,it seemed to be an ordinary bullet except that in the pointed end were three or four little round1 very shallow wells or depressions only the minutest fraction of an inch deep4 8,very extraordinary10 he remarked slowly4 8,no1 ,i don't think this was a case of suicide4 ,nor was it a murder for money1 else the jewels would have been taken40 ,o',connor looked approvingly at me4 8,exactly what ,i said10 he exclaimed4 8,she was dead before her body was thrown into the water40 8,no1 ,i don't agree with you there10 corrected ,craig1 continuing his examination of the body4 8,and yet it is not a case of drowning exactly1 either40 8,strangled80 suggested ,o',connor4 8,by some jiu jitsu trick80 ,i put in1 mindful of the queer-acting ,jap at ,clendenin's4 ,kennedy shook his head4 8,perhaps the shock of the bullet wound rendered her unconscious and in that state she was thrown in10 ventured ,walker ,curtis1 apparently much relieved that ,kennedy coincided with ,o',connor in disagreeing with the harbour police as to the suicide theory4 ,kennedy shrugged his shoulders and looked at the bullet again4 8,it is very extraordinary10 was all he replied4 8,i think you said a few moments ago1 ,o',connor1 that there had been some queer doings about here4 ,what did you mean80 8,well1 as ,i said1 the work of the harbour squad isn't ordinarily very remarkable4 ,harbour pirates aren't murderous as a rule any more4 ,for the most part they are plain sneak thieves or bogus junk dealers who work with dishonest pier watchmen and crooked canal boat captains and lighter hands4 8,but in this instance10 continued the deputy1 his face knitting at the thought that he had to confess another mystery to which he had no solution1 8it is something quite different4 ,you know that all along the shore on this side of the island are old1 dilapidated and1 some of them1 deserted houses4 ,for several days the residents of the neighbourhood have been complaining of strange occurrences about one place in particular which was the home of a wealthy family in a past generation4 ,it is about a mile from here1 facing the road along the shore1 and has in front of it and across the road the remains of an old dock sticking out a few feet into the water at high tide4 8,now1 as nearly as any one can get the story1 there seems to have been a mysterious1 phantom boat1 very swift1 without lights1 and with an engine carefully muffled down which has been coming up to the old dock for the past few nights when the tide was high enough4 ,a light has been seen moving on the dock1 then suddenly extinguished1 only to reappear again4 ,who carried it and why1 no one knows4 ,any one who has tried to approach the place has had a scare thrown into him which he will not easily forget4 ,for instance1 one man crept up and though he did not think he was seen he was suddenly shot at from behind a tree4 ,he felt the bullet pierce his arm1 started to run1 stumbled1 and next morning woke up in the exact spot on which he had fallen1 none the worse for his experience except that he had a slight wound that will prevent his using his right arm for some time for heavy work4 8,after each visit of the phantom boat there is heard1 according to the story of the few neighbours who have observed it1 the tramp of feet up the overgrown stone walk from the dock and some have said that they heard an automobile as silent and ghostly as the boat4 ,we have been all through the weird old house1 but have found nothing there1 except enough loose boards and shutters to account for almost any noise or combination of noises4 ,however1 no one has said there was anything there except the tramp of feet going back and forth on the old pavements outside4 ,two or three times shots have been heard1 and on the dock where most of the alleged mysterious doings have taken place we have found one very new exploded shell of a cartridge40 ,craig took the shell which ,o',connor drew from another pocket and trying to fit the bullet and the cartridge together remarked 8both from a 4#dd1 probably one of those old-fashioned1 long-barrelled makes40 8,there10 concluded ,o',connor ruefully1 8you know all we know of the thing so far40 8,i may keep these for the present80 inquired ,kennedy1 preparing to pocket the shell and the bullet1 and from his very manner ,i could see that as a matter of fact he already knew a great deal more about the case than the police4 8,take us down to this old house and dock1 if you please40 ,over and over1 ,craig paced up and down the dilapidated dock1 his keen eyes fastened to the ground1 seeking some clue1 anything that would point to the marauders4 ,real persons they certainly were1 and not any ghostly crew of the bygone days of harbour pirates1 for there was every evidence of some one who had gone up and down the walk recently1 not once but many times4 ,suddenly ,kennedy stumbled over what looked like a sardine tin can1 except that it had no label or trace of one4 ,it was lying in the thick long matted grass by the side of the walk as if it had tumbled there and had been left unnoticed4 ,yet there was nothing so very remarkable about it in itself4 ,tin cans were lying all about1 those marks of decadent civilisation4 ,but to ,craig it had instantly presented an idea4 ,it was a new can4 ,the others were rusted4 ,he had pried off the lid and inside was a blackish1 viscous mass4 8,smoking opium10 ,craig said at last4 ,we retraced our steps pondering on the significance of the discovery4 ,o',connor had had men out endeavouring all day to get a clue to the motor car that had been mentioned in some of the accounts given by the natives4 ,so far the best he had been able to find was a report of a large red touring car which crossed from ,new ,york on a late ferry4 ,in it were a man and a girl as well as a chauffeur who wore goggles and a cap pulled down over his head so that he was practically unrecognisable4 ,the girl might have been ,miss ,curtis and1 as for the man1 it might have been ,clendenin4 ,no one had bothered much with them2 no one had taken their number2 no one had paid any attention where they went after the ferry landed4 ,in fact1 there would have been no significance to the report if it had not been learned that early in the morning on the first ferry from the lower end of the island to ,new ,jersey a large red touring car answering about the same description had crossed1 with a single man and driver but no woman4 8,i should like to watch here with you to-night1 ,o',connor10 said ,craig as we parted4 8,meet us here4 ,in the meantime ,i shall call on ,jameson with his well-known newspaper connections in the white light district10 here he gave me a half facetious wink1 8to see what he can do toward getting me admitted to this gilded palace of dope up there on ,forty-fourth ,street40 ,after no little trouble ,kennedy and ,i discovered our 8hop joint0 and were admitted by ,nichi ,moto1 of whom we had heard4 ,kennedy gave me a final injunction to watch1 but to be very careful not to seem to watch4 ,nichi ,moto with an eye to business and not to our absorbing more than enough to whet our descriptive powers quickly conducted us into a large room where1 on single bamboo couches or bunks1 rather tastefully made1 perhaps half a dozen habitues lay stretched at full length smoking their pipes in peace1 or preparing them in great expectation from the implements on the trays before them4 ,kennedy relieved me of the responsibility of cooking the opium by doing it for both of us and1 incidentally1 dropping a hint not to inhale it and to breathe as little of it as possible4 ,even then it made me feel badly1 though he must have contrived in some way to get even less of the stuff than ,i4 ,a couple of pipes1 and ,kennedy beckoned to ,nichi4 8,where is ,mr4 ,clendenin80 he asked familiarly4 8,i haven't seen him yet40 ,the ,japanese smiled his engaging smile4 8,not know10 was all he said1 and yet ,i knew the fellow at least knew better ,english1 if not more facts4 ,kennedy had about started on our faking a third 8pipe0 when a new1 unexpected arrival beckoned excitedly to ,nichi4 ,i could not catch all that was said but two words that ,i did catch were 8the boss0 and 8hop toy10 the latter the word for opium4 ,no sooner had the man disappeared without joining the smokers than ,nichi seemed to grow very restless and anxious4 ,evidently he had received orders to do something4 ,he seemed anxious to close the place and get away4 ,i thought that some one might have given a tip that the place was to be raided1 but ,kennedy1 who had been closer1 had overheard more than ,i had and among other things he had caught the word1 8meet him at the same place40 ,it was not long before we were all politely hustled out4 8,at least we know this10 commented ,kennedy1 as ,i congratulated myself on our fortunate escape1 8,clendenin was not there1 and there is something doing to-night1 for he has sent for ,nichi40 ,we dropped into our apartment to freshen up a bit against the long vigil that we knew was coming that night4 ,to our surprise ,walker ,curtis had left a message that he wished to see ,kennedy immediately and alone1 and although ,i was not present ,i give the substance of what he said4 ,it seemed that he had not wished to tell ,o',connor for fear that it would get into the papers and cause an even greater scandal1 but it had come to his knowledge a few days before the tragedy that his sister was determined to marry a very wealthy ,chinese merchant1 an importer of tea1 named ,chin ,jung4 ,whether or not this had any bearing on the case he did not know4 ,he thought it had1 because for a long time1 both when she was on the stage and later1 ,clendenin had had a great influence over her and had watched with a jealous eye the advances of every one else4 ,curtis was especially bitter against ,clendenin4 ,as ,kennedy related the conversation to me on our way over to ,staten ,island ,i tried to piece the thing together1 but like one of the famous ,chinese puzzles1 it would not come out4 ,i had to admit the possibility that it was ,clendenin who might have quarrelled over her attachment to ,chin ,jung1 even though ,i have never yet been able to understand what the fascination is that some ,orientals have over certain ,american girls4 ,all that night we watched patiently from a vantage point of an old shed near both the house and the decayed pier4 ,it was weird in the extreme1 especially as we had no idea what might happen if we had success and saw something4 ,but there was no reward for our patience4 ,absolutely nothing happened4 ,it was as though they knew1 whoever they were1 that we were there4 ,during the hours that passed ,o',connor whiled away the time in a subdued whisper now and then in telling us of his experiences in ,chinatown which he was now engaged in trying to clean up4 ,from ,chinatown1 its dens1 its gamblers and its tongs we drifted to the legitimate business interests there1 and ,i1 at least1 was surprised to find that there were some of the merchants for whom even ,o',connor had a great deal of respect4 ,kennedy evidently did not wish to violate in any way the confidence of ,walker ,curtis1 and mention of the name of ,chin ,jung1 but by a judicious question as to who the best men were in the ,celestial settlement he did get a list of half a dozen or so from ,o',connor4 ,chin ,jung was well up in the list4 ,however1 the night wore away and still nothing happened4 ,it was in the middle of the morning when we were taking a snatch of sleep in our own rooms uptown that the telephone began to ring insistently4 ,kennedy1 who was resting1 ,i verily believe1 merely out of consideration for my own human frailties1 was at the receiver in an instant4 ,it proved to be ,o',connor4 ,he had just gone back to his office at headquarters and there he had found a report of another murder4 8,who is it80 asked ,kennedy1 8and why do you connect it with this case80 ,o',connor's answer must have been a poser1 judging from the look of surprise on ,craig's face4 8,the ,jap--,nichi ,moto80 he repeated4 8,and it is the same sort of non-fatal wound1 the same evidence of asphyxia1 the same circumstances1 even down to the red car reported by residents in the neighbourhood40 ,nothing further happened that day except this thickening of the plot by the murder of the peculiar-acting ,nichi4 ,we saw his body and it was as ,o',connor said4 8,that fellow wasn't on the level toward ,clendenin10 ,craig mused after we had viewed the second murder in the case4 8,the question is1 who and what was he working for80 ,there was as yet no hint of answer1 and our only plan was to watch again that night4 ,this time ,o',connor1 not knowing where the lightning would strike next1 took ,craig's suggestion and we determined to spend the time cruising about in the fastest of the police motor boats1 while the force of watchers along the entire shore front of the city was quietly augmented and ordered to be extra vigilant4 ,o',connor at the last moment had to withdraw and let us go alone1 for the worst1 and not the unexpected1 happened in his effort to clean up ,chinatown4 ,the war between the old rivals1 the ,hep ,sing ,tong and the ,on ,leong ,tong1 those ancient societies of troublemakers in the little district1 had broken out afresh during the day and three ,orientals had been killed already4 ,it is not a particularly pleasant occupation cruising aimlessly up and down the harbour in a fifty-foot police boat1 staunch and fast as she may be4 ,every hour we called at a police post to report and to keep in touch with anything that might interest us4 ,it came at about two o'clock in the morning and of all places1 near the ,battery itself4 ,from the front of a ferry boat that ran far down on the ,brooklyn side1 what looked like two flashlights gleamed out over the water once1 then twice4 8,headlights of an automobile10 remarked ,craig1 scarcely taking more notice of it1 for they might have simply been turned up and down twice by a late returning traveller to test them4 ,we were ourselves near the ,brooklyn shore4 ,imagine our surprise to see an answering light from a small boat in the river which was otherwise lightless4 ,we promptly put out our own lights and with every cylinder working made for the spot where the light had flashed up on the river4 ,there was something there all right and we went for it4 ,on we raced after the strange craft1 the phantom that had scared ,staten ,island4 ,for a mile or so we seemed to be gaining1 but one of our cylinders began to miss--the boat turned sharply around a bend in the shore4 ,we had to give it up as well as trying to overtake the ferry boat going in the opposite direction4 ,kennedy's equanimity in our apparent defeat surprised me4 8,oh1 it's nothing1 ,walter10 he said4 8,they slipped away to-night1 but ,i have found the clue4 ,to-morrow as soon as the ,customs ,house is open you will understand4 ,it all centres about opium40 ,at least a large part of the secret was cleared1 too1 as a result of ,kennedy's visit to the ,customs ,house4 ,after years of fighting with the opium ring on the ,pacific coast1 the ring had tried to 8put one over0 on the revenue officers and smuggle the drug in through ,new ,york4 ,it did not take long to find the right man among the revenue officers to talk with4 ,nor was ,kennedy surprised to learn that ,nichi ,moto had been in fact a ,japanese detective1 a sort of stool pigeon in ,clendenin's establishment working to keep the government in touch with the latest scheme4 ,the finding of the can of opium on the scene of the murder of ,bertha ,curtis1 and the chase after the lightless motor boat had at last placed ,kennedy on the right track4 ,with one of the revenue officers we made a quick trip to ,brooklyn and spent the morning inspecting the ships from ,south ,american ports docked in the neighbourhood where the phantom boat had disappeared4 ,from ship to ship we journeyed until at last we came to one on which1 down in the chain locker1 we found a false floor with a locker under that4 ,there was a compartment six feet square and in it lay1 neatly packed1 fourteen large hermetically sealed cylinders1 each full of the little oblong tins such as ,kennedy had picked up the other day--forty thousand dollars' worth of the stuff at one haul1 to say nothing of the thousands that had already been landed at one place or another4 ,it had been a good day's work1 but as yet it had not caught the slayer or cleared up the mystery of ,bertha ,curtis4 ,some one or something had had a power over the girl to lure her on4 ,was it ,clendenin8 ,the place in ,forty-fourth ,street1 on inquiry1 proved to be really closed as tight as a drum4 ,where was he8 ,all the deaths had been mysterious1 were still mysterious4 ,bertha ,curtis had carried her secret with her to the grave to which she had been borne1 willingly it seemed1 in the red car with the unknown companion and the goggled chauffeur4 ,i found myself still asking what possible connection she could have with smuggling opium4 ,kennedy1 however1 was indulging in no such speculations4 ,it was enough for him that the scene had suddenly shifted and in a most unexpected manner4 ,i found him voraciously reading practically everything that was being printed in the papers about the revival of the tong war4 8,they say much about the war1 but little about the cause10 was his dry comment4 8,i wish ,i could make up my mind whether it is due to the closing of the joints by ,o',connor1 or the belief that one tong is informing on the other about opium smuggling40 ,kennedy passed over all the picturesque features in the newspapers1 and from it all picked out the one point that was most important for the case which he was working to clear up4 ,one tong used revolvers of a certain make2 the other of a different make4 ,the bullet which had killed ,bertha ,curtis and later ,nichi ,moto was from a pistol like that of the ,hep ,sings4 ,the difference in the makes of guns seemed at once to suggest something to ,kennedy and instead of mixing actively in the war of the highbinders he retired to his unfailing laboratory1 leaving me to pass the time gathering such information as ,i could4 ,once ,i dropped in on him but found him unsociably surrounded by microscopes and a very sensitive arrangement for taking microphotographs4 ,some of his negatives were nearly a foot in diameter1 and might have been1 for all ,i knew1 pictures of the surface of the moon4 ,while ,i was there ,o',connor came in4 ,craig questioned him about the war of the tongs4 8,why10 ,o',connor cried1 almost bubbling over with satisfaction1 8this afternoon ,i was waited on by ,chin ,jung1 you remember8--one of the leading merchants down there4 ,of course you know that ,chinatown doesn't believe in hurting business and it seems that he and some of the others like him are afraid that if the tong war is not hushed up pretty soon it will cost a lot--in money4 ,they are going to have an anniversary of the founding of the ,chinese republic soon and of the ,chinese ,new ,year and they are afraid that if the war doesn't stop they'll be ruined40 8,which tong does he belong to80 asked ,kennedy1 still scrutinising a photograph through his lens4 8,neither10 replied ,o',connor4 8,with his aid and that of a ,judge of one of our courts who knows the ,chinaman like a book we have had a conference this afternoon between the two tongs and the truce is restored again for two weeks40 8,very good10 answered ,kennedy1 8but it doesn't catch the murderer of ,bertha ,curtis and the ,jap4 ,where is ,clendenin1 do you suppose80 8,i don't know1 but it at least leaves me free to carry on that case4 ,what are all these pictures80 8,well10 began ,kennedy1 taking his glass from his eye and wiping it carefully1 8a ,paris crime specialist has formulated a system for identifying revolver bullets which is very like that of ,dr4 ,bertillon for identifying human beings40 ,he picked up a handful of the greatly enlarged photographs4 8,these are photographs of bullets which he has sent me4 ,the barrel of every gun leaves marks on the bullet that are always the same for the same barrel but never identical for two different barrels4 ,in these big negatives every detail appears very distinctly and it can be decided with absolute certainty whether a given bullet was fired from a given revolver4 ,now1 using this same method1 ,i have made similar greatly enlarged photographs of the two bullets that have figured so far in this case4 ,the bullet that killed ,miss ,curtis shows the same marks as that which killed ,nichi40 ,he picked up another bunch of prints4 8,now10 he continued1 8taking up the firing pin of a rifle or the hammer of a revolver1 you may not know it but they are different in every case4 ,even among the same makes they are different1 and can be detected4 8,the cartridge in either a gun or revolver is struck at a point which is never in the exact centre or edge1 as the case may be1 but is always the same for the same weapon4 ,now the end of the hammer when examined with the microscope bears certain irregularities of marking different from those of every other gun and the shell fired in it is impressed with the particular markings of that hammer1 just as paper is by type4 ,on making microphotographs of firing pins or hammers1 with special reference to the rounded ends and also photographs of the corresponding rounded depressions in the primers fired by them it is forced on any one that cartridges fired by each individual rifle or pistol can positively be identified4 8,you will see on the edge of the photographs ,i have made a rough sketch calling attention to the #8,l'-shaped mark which is the chief characteristic of this hammer1 although there are other detailed markings which show well under the microscope but not well in a photograph4 ,you will notice that the characters on the firing hammer are reversed on the cartridge in the same way that a metal type and the character printed by it are reversed as regards one another4 ,again1 depressions on the end of the hammer become raised characters on the cartridge1 and raised characters on the hammer become depressions on the cartridge4 8,look at some of these old photographs and you will see that they differ from this4 ,they lack the #8,l' mark4 ,some have circles1 others a very different series of pits and elevations1 a set of characters when examined and measured under the microscope utterly different from those in every other case4 ,each is unique1 in its pits1 lines1 circles and irregularities4 ,the laws of chance are as much against two of them having the same markings as they are against the thumb prints of two human subjects being identical4 ,the firing-pin theory1 which was used in a famous case in ,maine1 is just as infallible as the finger-print theory4 ,in this case when we find the owner of the gun making an #8,l' mark we shall have the murderer40 ,something1 ,i could see1 was working on ,o',connor's mind4 8,that's all right10 he interjected1 8but you know in neither case was the victim shot to death4 ,they were asphyxiated40 8,i was coming to that10 rejoined ,craig4 8,you recall the peculiar marking on the nose of those bullets8 ,they were what is known as narcotic bullets1 an invention of a ,pittsburg scientist4 ,they have the property of lulling their victims to almost instant slumber4 ,a slight scratch from these sleep-producing bullets is all that is necessary1 as it was in the case of the man who spied on the queer doings on ,staten ,island4 ,the drug1 usually morphia1 is carried in tiny wells on the cap of the bullet1 is absorbed by the system and acts almost instantly40 ,the door burst open and ,walker ,curtis strode in excitedly4 ,he seemed surprised to see us all there1 hesitated1 then motioned to ,kennedy that he wished to see him4 ,for a few moments they talked and finally ,i caught the remark from ,kennedy1 8,but1 ,mr4 ,curtis1 ,i must do it4 ,it is the only way40 ,curtis gave a resigned nod and ,kennedy turned to us4 8,gentlemen10 he said1 8,mr4 ,curtis in going over the effects of his sister has found a note from ,clendenin which mentions another opium joint down in ,chinatown4 ,he wished me to investigate privately1 but ,i have told him it would be impossible40 ,at the mention of a den in the district he was cleaning up ,o',connor had pricked up his ears4 8,where is it80 he demanded4 ,curtis mentioned a number on ,dover ,street4 8,the ,amoy restaurant10 ejaculated ,o',connor1 seizing the telephone4 ,a moment later he was arranging with the captain at the ,elizabeth ,street station for the warrants for an instant raid4 ,,xii ,,the 8,,dope ,,trust0 ,as we hurried into ,chinatown from ,chatham ,square we could see that the district was celebrating its holidays with long ropes of firecrackers1 and was feasting to reed discords from the pipes of its most famous musicians1 and was gay with the hanging out of many sunflags1 red with an eighteen-rayed white sun in the blue union4 ,both the new tong truce and the anniversary were more than cause for rejoicing4 ,hurried though it was1 the raid on the ,hep ,sing joint had been carefully prepared by ,o',connor4 ,the house we were after was one of the oldest of the rookeries1 with a gaudy restaurant on the second floor1 a curio shop on the street level1 while in the basement all that was visible was a view of a huge and orderly pile of tea chests4 ,a moment before the windows of the dwellings above the restaurant had been full of people4 ,all had faded away even before the axes began to swing on the basement door which had the appearance of a storeroom for the shop above4 ,the flimsy outside door went down quickly4 ,but it was only a blind4 ,another door greeted the raiders4 ,the axes swung noisily and the crowbars tore at the fortified1 iron-clad1 8ice box0 door inside4 ,after breaking it down they had to claw their way through another just like it4 ,the thick doors and tea chests piled up showed why no sounds of gambling and other practices ever were heard outside4 ,pushing aside a curtain we were in the main room4 ,the scene was one of confusion showing the hasty departure of the occupants4 ,kennedy did not stop here4 ,within was still another room1 for smokers1 anything but like the fashionable place we had seen uptown4 ,it was low1 common1 disgusting4 ,the odour everywhere was offensive2 everywhere was filth that should naturally breed disease4 ,it was an inferno reeking with unwholesome sweat and still obscured with dense fumes of smoke4 ,three tiers of bunks of hardwood were built along the walls4 ,there was no glamour here2 all was sordid4 ,several ,chinamen in various stages of dazed indolence were jabbering in incoherent oblivion1 a state ,i suppose of 8,oriental calm40 ,there1 in a bunk1 lay ,clendenin4 ,his slow and uncertain breathing told of his being under the influence of the drug1 and he lay on his back beside a 8layout0 with a half-cooked pill still in the bowl of his pipe4 ,the question was to wake him up4 ,craig began slapping him with a wet towel1 directing us how to keep him roused4 ,we walked him about1 up and down1 dazed1 less than half sensible1 dreaming1 muttering1 raving4 ,a hasty exclamation from ,o',connor followed as he drew from the scant cushions of the bunk a long-barreled pistol1 a 4#dd such as the tong leaders used1 the same make as had shot ,bertha ,curtis and ,nichi4 ,craig seized it and stuck it into his pocket4 ,all the gamblers had fled1 all except those too drugged to escape4 ,where they had gone was indicated by a door leading up to the kitchen of the restaurant4 ,craig did not stop but leaped upstairs and then down again into a little back court by means of a fire-escape4 ,through a sort of short alley we groped our way1 or rather through an intricate maze of alleys and a labyrinth of blind recesses4 ,we were apparently back of a store on ,pell ,street4 ,it was the work of only a moment to go through another door and into another room1 filled with smoky1 dirty1 unpleasant1 fetid air4 ,this room1 too1 seemed to be piled with tea chests4 ,craig opened one4 ,there lay piles and piles of opium tins1 a veritable fortune in the drug4 ,mysterious pots and pans1 strainers1 wooden vessels1 and testing instruments were about4 ,the odour of opium in the manufacture was unmistakable1 for smoking opium is different from the medicinal drug4 ,there it appeared the supplies of thousands of smokers all over the country were stored and prepared4 ,in a corner a mass of the finished product lay weltering in a basin like treacle4 ,in another corner was the apparatus for remaking yen-shee or once-smoked opium4 ,this ,i felt was at last the home of the 8dope trust10 as ,o',connor had once called it1 the secret realm of a real opium king1 the ,american end of the rich ,shanghai syndicate4 ,a door opened and there stood a ,chinaman1 stoical1 secretive1 indifferent1 with all the ,oriental cunning and cruelty hall-marked on his face4 ,yet there was a fascination and air of ,eastern culture about him in spite of that strange and typical ,oriental depth of intrigue and cunning that shone through1 great characteristics of the ,east4 ,no one said a word as ,kennedy continued to ransack the place4 ,at last under a rubbish heap he found a revolver wrapped up loosely in an old sweater4 ,quickly1 under the bright light1 ,craig drew ,clendenin's pistol1 fitted a cartridge into it and fired at the wall4 ,again into the second gun he fitted another and a second shot rang out4 ,out of his pocket came next the small magnifying glass and two unmounted microphotographs4 ,he bent down over the exploded shells4 8,there it is10 cried ,craig scarcely able to restrain himself with the keenness of his chase1 8there it is--the mark like an #8,l4' ,this cartridge bears the one mark1 distinct1 not possible to have been made by any other pistol in the world4 ,none of the ,hep ,sings1 all with the same make of weapons1 none of the gunmen in their employ1 could duplicate that mark40 8,some bullets10 reported a policeman who had been rummaging further in the rubbish4 8,be careful1 man10 cautioned ,craig4 8,they are doped4 ,lay them down4 ,yes1 this is the same gun that fired the shot at ,bertha ,curtis and ,nichi ,moto--fired narcotic bullets in order to stop any one who interfered with the opium smuggling1 without killing the victim40 8,what's the matter80 asked ,o',connor1 arriving breathless from the gambling room after hearing the shots4 ,the ,chinaman stood1 still silent1 impassive4 ,at sight of him ,o',connor gasped out1 8,chin ,jung60 8,real tong leader10 added ,craig1 8and the murderer of the white girl to whom he was engaged4 ,this is the goggled chauffeur of the red car that met the smuggling boat1 and in which ,bertha ,curtis rode1 unsuspecting1 to her death40 8,and ,clendenin80 asked ,walker ,curtis1 not comprehending4 8,a tool--poor wretch4 ,so keen had the hunt for him become that he had to hide in the only safe place1 with the coolies of his employer4 ,he must have been in such abject terror that he has almost smoked himself to death40 8,but why should the ,chinaman shoot my sister80 asked ,walker ,curtis amazed at the turn of events4 8,your sister10 replied ,craig1 almost reverently1 8wrecked though she was by the drug1 was at last conscience stricken when she saw the vast plot to debauch thousands of others4 ,it was from her that the ,japanese detective in the revenue service got his information--and both of them have paid the price4 ,but they have smashed the new opium ring--we have captured the ring-leaders of the gang40 ,out of the maze of streets1 on ,chatham ,square again1 we lost no time in mounting to the safety of the elevated station before some murderous tong member might seek revenge on us4 ,the celebration in ,chinatown was stilled4 ,it was as though the nerves of the place had been paralysed by our sudden1 sharp blow4 ,a downtown train took me to the office to write a 8beat10 for the ,star always made a special feature of the picturesque in ,chinatown news4 ,kennedy went uptown4 ,except for a few moments in the morning1 ,i did not see ,kennedy again until the following afternoon1 for the tong war proved to be such an interesting feature that ,i had to help lay out and direct the assignments covering its various details4 ,i managed to get away again as soon as possible1 however1 for ,i knew that it would not be long before some one else in trouble would commandeer ,kennedy to untangle a mystery1 and ,i wanted to be on the spot when it started4 ,sure enough1 it turned out that ,i was right4 ,seated with him in our living room1 when ,i came in from my hasty journey uptown in the subway1 was a man1 tall1 thick-set1 with a crop of closely curling dark hair1 a sharp1 pointed nose1 ferret eyes1 and a reddish moustache1 curled at the ends4 ,i had no difficulty in deciding what he was1 if not who he was4 ,he was the typical detective who1 for the very reason that he looked the part1 destroyed much of his own usefulness4 8,we have lost so much lately at ,trimble's10 he was saying1 8that it is long past the stage of being merely interesting4 ,it is downright serious--for me1 at least4 ,i've got to make good or lose my job4 ,and ,i'm up against one of the cleverest shoplifters that ever entered a department-store1 apparently4 ,only ,heaven knows how much she has got away with in various departments so far1 but when it comes to lifting valuable things like pieces of jewelry which run into the thousands1 that is too much40 ,at the mention of the name of the big ,trimble store ,i had recognised at once what the man was1 and it did not need ,kennedy's rapid-fire introduction of ,michael ,donnelly to tell me that he was a department store detective4 8,have you no clue1 no suspicions80 inquired ,kennedy4 8,well1 yes1 suspicions10 measured ,donnelly slowly4 8,for instance1 one day not long ago a beautifully dressed and refined-looking woman called at the jewellery department and asked to see a diamond necklace which we had just imported from ,paris4 ,she seemed to admire it very much1 studied it1 tried it on1 but finally went away without making up her mind4 ,a couple of days later she returned and asked to see it again4 ,this time there happened to be another woman beside her who was looking at some pendants4 ,the two fell to talking about the necklace1 according to the best recollection of the clerk1 and the second woman began to examine it critically4 ,again the prospective buyer went away4 ,but this time after she had gone1 and when he was putting the things back into the safe1 the clerk examined the necklace1 thinking that perhaps a flaw had been discovered in it which had decided the woman against it4 ,it was a replica in paste2 probably substituted by one of these clever and smartly dressed women for the real necklace40 ,before ,craig had a chance to put another question1 the buzzer on our door sounded1 and ,i admitted a dapper1 soft-spoken man of middle size1 who might have been a travelling salesman or a bookkeeper4 ,he pulled a card from his case and stood facing us1 evidently in doubt how to proceed4 8,professor ,kennedy80 he asked at length1 balancing the pasteboard between his fingers4 8,yes10 answered ,craig4 8,what can ,i do for you80 8,i am from ,shorham1 the ,fifth ,avenue jeweller1 you know10 he began brusquely1 as he handed the card to ,kennedy4 8,i thought ,i'd drop in to consult you about a peculiar thing that happened at the store recently1 but if you are engaged1 ,i can wait4 ,you see1 we had on exhibition a very handsome pearl dogcollar1 and a few days ago two women came to--0 8,say10 interrupted ,kennedy1 glancing from the card to the face of ,joseph ,bentley1 and then at ,donnelly4 8,what is this--a gathering of the clans8 ,there seems to be an epidemic of shoplifting4 ,how much were you stung for80 8,about twenty thousand altogether10 replied ,bentley with rueful frankness4 8,why8 ,has some one else been victimised1 too80 ,,xiii ,,the ,,kleptomaniac ,quickly ,kennedy outlined1 with ,donnelly's permission1 the story we had just heard4 ,the two store detectives saw the humour of the situation1 as well as the seriousness of it1 and fell to comparing notes4 8,the professional as well as the amateur shop-lifter has always presented to me an interesting phase of criminality10 remarked ,kennedy tentatively1 during a lull in their mutual commiseration4 8,with thousands of dollars' worth of goods lying unprotected on the counters1 it is really no wonder that some are tempted to reach out and take what they want40 8,yes10 explained ,donnelly1 8the shop-lifter is the department-store's greatest unsolved problem4 ,why1 sir1 she gets more plunder in a year than the burglar4 ,she's costing the stores over two million dollars4 ,and she is at her busiest just now with the season's shopping in full swing4 ,it's the price the stores have to pay for displaying their goods1 but we have to do it1 and we are at the mercy of the thieves4 ,i don't mean by that the occasional shoplifter who1 when she gets caught1 confesses1 cries1 pleads1 and begs to return the stolen article4 ,they often get off4 ,it is the regulars who get the two million1 those known to the police1 whose pictures are1 many of them1 in the ,rogues' ,gallery1 whose careers and haunts are known to every probation officer4 ,they are getting away with loot that means for them a sumptuous living40 8,of course we are not up against the same sort of swindlers that you are10 put in ,bentley1 8but let me tell you that when the big jewelers do get up against anything of the sort they are up against it hard40 8,have you any idea who it could be80 asked ,kennedy1 who had been following the discussion keenly4 8,well1 some idea10 spoke up ,donnelly4 8,from what ,bentley says ,i wouldn't be surprised to find that it was the same person in both cases4 ,of course you know how rushed all the stores are just now4 ,it is much easier for these light-fingered individuals to operate during the rush than at any other time4 ,in the summer1 for instance1 there is almost no shop-lifting at all4 ,i thought that perhaps we could discover this particular shoplifter by ordinary means1 that perhaps some of the clerks in the jewellery department might be able to identify her4 ,we found one who said that he thought he might recognise one of the women if he saw her again4 ,perhaps you did not know that we have our own little rogues' gallery in most of the big department-stores4 ,but there didn't happen to be anything there that he recognised4 ,so ,i took him down to ,police ,headquarters4 ,through plate after plate of pictures among the shoplifters in the regular ,rogues' ,gallery the clerk went4 ,at last he came to one picture that caused him to stop4 #8,that is one of the women ,i saw in the store that day1' he said4 #8,i'm sure of it4'0 ,donnelly produced a copy of the ,bertillon picture4 8,what80 exclaimed ,bentley1 as he glanced at it and then at the name and history on the back4 8,annie ,grayson8 ,why1 she is known as the queen of shoplifters4 ,she has operated from ,christie's in ,london to the little curio-shops of ,san ,francisco4 ,she has worked under a dozen aliases and has the art of alibi down to perfection4 ,oh1 ,i've heard of her many times before4 ,i wonder if she really is the person we're looking for4 ,they say that ,annie ,grayson has forgotten more about shoplifting than the others will ever know40 8,yes10 continued ,donnelly1 8and here's the queer part of it4 ,the clerk was ready to swear that he had seen the woman in the store at some time or other1 but whether she had been near the counter where the necklace was displayed was another matter4 ,he wasn't so sure about that40 8,then how did she get it80 ,i asked1 much interested4 8,i don't say that she did get it10 cautioned ,donnelly4 8,i don't know anything about it4 ,that is why ,i am here consulting ,professor ,kennedy40 8,then who did get it1 do you think80 ,i demanded4 8,we have a great deal of very conflicting testimony from the various clerks10 ,donnelly continued4 8,among those who are known to have visited the department and to have seen the necklace is another woman1 of an entirely different character1 well known in the city40 ,he glanced sharply at us1 as if to impress us with what he was about to say1 then he leaned over and almost whispered the name4 8,as nearly as ,i can gather out of the mass of evidence1 ,mrs4 ,william ,willoughby1 the wife of the broker down in ,wall ,street1 was the last person who was seen looking at the diamonds40 ,the mere breath of such a suspicion would have been enough1 without his stage-whisper method of imparting the information4 ,i felt that it was no wonder that1 having even a suspicion of this sort1 he should be in doubt how to go ahead and should wish ,kennedy's advice4 ,ella ,willoughby1 besides being the wife of one of the best known operators in high-class stocks and bonds1 was well known in the society columns of the newspapers4 ,she lived in ,glenclair1 where she was a leader of the smarter set at both the church and the country club4 ,the group who preserved this neat balance between higher things and the world1 the flesh and the devil1 ,i knew to be a very exclusive group1 which1 under the calm suburban surface1 led a sufficiently rapid life4 ,mrs4 ,willoughby1 in addition to being a leader1 was a very striking woman and a beautiful dresser1 who set a fast pace for the semi-millionaires who composed the group4 ,here indeed was a puzzle at the very start of the case4 ,it was in all probability ,mrs4 ,willoughby who had looked at the jewels in both cases4 ,on the other hand1 it was ,annie ,grayson who had been seen on at least one occasion1 yet apparently had had nothing whatever to do with the missing jewels1 at least not so far as any tangible evidence yet showed4 ,more than that1 ,donnelly vouchsafed the information that he had gone further and that some of the men work-ing under him had endeavoured to follow the movements of the two women and had found what looked to be a curious crossing of trails4 ,both of them1 he had found1 had been in the habit of visiting1 while shopping1 the same little tea-room on ,thirty-third ,street1 though no one had ever seen them together there1 and the coincidence might be accounted for by the fact that many ,glenclair ladies on shopping expeditions made this tea-room a sort of rendezvous4 ,by inquiring about among his own fraternity ,donnelly had found that other stores also had reported losses recently1 mostly of diamonds and pearls1 both black and white4 ,kennedy had been pondering the situation for some time1 scarcely uttering a word4 ,both detectives were now growing restless1 waiting for him to say something4 ,as for me1 ,i knew that if anything were said or done it would be in ,kennedy's own good time4 ,i had learned to have implicit faith and confidence in him1 for ,i doubt if ,craig could have been placed in a situation where he would not know just what to do after he had looked over the ground4 ,at length he leisurely reached across the table for the suburban telephone book1 turned the pages quickly1 snapped it shut1 and observed wearily and1 as it seemed1 irrelevantly3 8,the same old trouble again about accurate testimony4 ,i doubt whether if ,i should suddenly pull a revolver and shoot ,jameson1 either of you two men could give a strictly accurate account of just what happened40 ,no one said anything1 as he raised his hands from his habitual thinking posture with finger-tips together1 placed both hands back of his head1 and leaned back facing us squarely4 8,the first step10 he said slowly1 8must be to arrange a #8plant4' ,as nearly as ,i can make out the shoplifters or shoplifter1 whichever it may prove to be1 have no hint that any one is watching them yet4 ,now1 ,donnelly1 it is still very early4 ,i want you to telephone around to the newspapers1 and either in the ,trimble advertisements or in the news columns have it announced that your jewellery department has on exhibition a new and special importation of ,south ,african stones among which is one--let me see1 let's call it the #8,kimberley ,queen4' ,that will sound attractive4 ,in the meantime find the largest and most perfect paste jewel in town and have it fixed up for exhibition and labelled the ,kimberley ,queen4 ,give it a history if you can2 anything to attract attention4 ,i'll see you in the morning4 ,good-night1 and thank you for coming to me with this case40 ,it was quite late1 but ,kennedy1 now thoroughly interested in following the chase1 had no intention of waiting until the morrow before taking action on his own account4 ,in fact he was just beginning the evening's work by sending ,donnelly off to arrange the 8plant40 ,no less interested in the case than himself1 ,i needed no second invitation1 and in a few minutes we were headed from our rooms toward the laboratory1 where ,kennedy had apparatus to meet almost any conceivable emergency4 ,from a shelf in the corner he took down an oblong oak box1 perhaps eighteen inches in length1 in the front of which was set a circular metal disk with a sort of pointer and dial4 ,he lifted the lid of the box1 and inside ,i could see two shiny caps which in turn he lifted1 disclosing what looked like two good-sized spools of wire4 ,apparently satisfied with his scrutiny1 he snapped the lid shut and wrapped up the box carefully1 consigning it to my care1 while he hunted some copper wire4 ,from long experience with ,kennedy ,i knew better than to ask what he had in mind to do4 ,it was enough to know that he had already1 in those few minutes of apparent dreaming while ,donnelly and ,bentley were fidgeting for words1 mapped out a complete course of action4 ,we bent our steps toward the under-river tube1 which carried a few late travellers to the railroad terminal where ,kennedy purchased tickets for ,glenclair4 ,i noticed that the conductor on the suburban train eyed us rather suspiciously as though the mere fact that we were not travelling with commutation tickets at such an hour constituted an offence4 ,although ,i did not yet know the precise nature of our adventure1 ,i remembered with some misgiving that ,i had read of police dogs in ,glenclair which were uncomfortably familiar with strangers carrying bundles4 ,however1 we got along all right1 perhaps because the dogs knew that in a town of commuters every one was privileged to carry a bundle4 8,if the ,willoughbys had been on a party line10 remarked ,craig as we strode up ,woodridge ,avenue trying to look as if it was familiar to us1 8we might have arranged this thing by stratagem4 ,as it is1 we shall have to resort to another method1 and perhaps better1 since we shall have to take no one into our confidence40 ,the avenue was indeed a fine thoroughfare1 lined on both sides with large and often imposing mansions1 surrounded with trees and shrubbery1 which served somewhat to screen them4 ,we came at last to the ,willoughby house1 a sizable colonial residence set up on a hill4 ,it was dark1 except for one dim light in an upper story4 ,in the shadow of the hedge1 ,craig silently vaulted the low fence and slipped up the terraces1 as noiselessly as an ,indian1 scarcely crackling a twig or rustling a dead leaf on the ground4 ,he paused as he came to a wing on the right of the house4 ,i had followed more laboriously1 carrying the box and noting that he was not looking so much at the house as at the sky1 apparently4 ,it did not take long to fathom what he was after4 ,it was not a star-gazing expedition2 he was following the telephone wire that ran in from the street to the corner of the house near which we were now standing4 ,a moment's inspection showed him where the wire was led down1 on the outside and entered through the top of a window4 ,quickly he worked1 though in a rather awkward position1 attaching two wires carefully to the telephone wires4 ,next he relieved me of the oak box with its strange contents1 and placed it under the porch where it was completely hidden by some lattice-work which extended down to the ground on this side4 ,then he attached the new wires from the telephone to it and hid the connecting wires as best he could behind the swaying runners of a vine4 ,at last1 when he had finished to his satisfaction1 we retraced our steps1 to find that our only chance of getting out of town that night was by trolley that landed us1 after many changes1 in our apartment in ,new ,york1 thoroughly convinced of the disadvantages of suburban detective work4 ,nevertheless the next day found us out sleuthing about ,glenclair1 this time in a more pleasant role4 ,we had a newspaper friend or two out there who was willing to introduce us about without asking too many questions4 ,kennedy1 of course1 insisted on beginning at the very headquarters of gossip1 the country club4 ,we spent several enjoyable hours about the town1 picking up a good deal of miscellaneous and useless information4 ,it was1 however1 as ,kennedy had suspected4 ,annie ,grayson had taken up her residence in an artistic little house on one of the best side streets of the town4 ,but her name was no longer ,annie ,grayson4 ,she was ,mrs4 ,maud ,emery1 a dashing young widow of some means1 living in a very quiet but altogether comfortable style1 cutting quite a figure in the exclusive suburban community1 a leading member of the church circle1 an officer of the ,civic ,league1 prominent in the women's club1 and popular with those to whom the established order of things was so perfect that the only new bulwark of their rights was an anti-suffrage society4 ,in fact1 every one was talking of the valuable social acquisition in the person of this attractive young woman who entertained lavishly and was bracing up an otherwise drooping season4 ,no one knew much about her1 but then1 that was not necessary4 ,it was enough to accept one whose opinions and actions were not subversive of the social order in any way4 ,the ,willoughbys1 of course1 were among the most prominent people in the town4 ,william ,willoughby was head of the firm of ,willoughby ,walton1 and it was the general opinion that ,mrs4 ,willoughby was the head of the firm of ,ella ,william ,willoughby4 ,the ,willoughbys were good mixers1 and were spoken well of even by the set who occupied the social stratum just one degree below that in which they themselves moved4 ,in fact1 when ,mrs4 ,willoughby had been severely injured in an automobile accident during the previous summer ,glenclair had shown real solicitude for her and had forgotten a good deal of its artificiality in genuine human interest4 ,kennedy was impatiently waiting for an opportunity to recover the box which he had left under the ,willoughby porch4 ,several times we walked past the house1 but it was not until nightfall that he considered it wise to make the recovery4 ,again we slipped silently up the terraces4 ,it was the work of only a moment to cut the wires1 and in triumph ,craig bore off the precious oak box and its batteries4 ,he said little on our journey back to the city1 but the moment we had reached the laboratory he set the box on a table with an attachment which seemed to be controlled by pedals operated by the feet4 8,walter10 he explained1 holding what looked like an earpiece in his hand1 8this is another of those new little instruments that scientific detectives to-day are using4 ,a poet might write a clever little verse en-titled1 #8,the telegraphone'll get you1 if you don't watch out4' ,this is the latest improved telegraphone1 a little electromagnetic wizard in a box1 which we detectives are now using to take down and #8can' telephone conversations and other records4 ,it is based on an entirely new principle in every way different from the phonograph4 ,it was discovered by an inventor several years ago1 while experimenting in telephony4 8,there are no disks or cylinders of wax1 as in the phonograph1 but two large spools of extremely fine steel wire4 ,the record is not made mechanically on a cylinder1 but electromagnetically on this wire4 ,small portions of magnetism are imparted to fractions of the steel wire as it passes between two carbon electric magnets4 ,each impression represents a sound wave4 ,there is no apparent difference in the wire1 no surface abrasion or other change1 yet each particle of steel undergoes an electromagnetic transformation by which the sound is indelibly imprinted on it until it is wiped out by the erasing magnet4 ,there are no cylinders to be shaved2 all that is needed to use the wire again is to pass a magnet over it1 automatically erasing any previous record that you do not wish to preserve4 ,you can dictate into it1 or1 with this plug in1 you can record a telephone conversation on it4 ,even rust or other deterioration of the steel wire by time will not affect this electromagnetic registry of sound4 ,it can be read as long as steel will last4 ,it is as effective for long distances as for short1 and there is wire enough on one of these spools for thirty minutes of uninterrupted record40 ,craig continued to tinker tantalisingly with the machine4 8,the principle on which it is based10 he added1 8is that a mass of tempered steel may be impressed with and will retain magnetic fluxes varying in density and in sign in adjacent portions of its mass4 ,there are no indentations on the wire or the steel disk4 ,instead there is a deposit of magnetic impulse on the wire1 which is made by connecting up an ordinary telephone transmitter with the electromagnets and talking through the coil4 ,the disturbance set up in the coils by the vibration of the diaphragm of the transmitter causes a deposit of magnetic impulse on the wire1 the coils being connected with dry batteries4 ,when the wire is again run past these coils1 with a receiver such as ,i have here in circuit with the coils1 a light vibration is set up in the receiver diaphragm which reproduces the sound of speech40 ,he turned a switch and placed an ear-piece over his head1 giving me another connected with it4 ,we listened eagerly4 ,there were no foreign noises in the machine1 no grating or thumping sounds1 as he controlled the running off of the steel wire by means of a foot-pedal4 ,we were listening to everything that had been said over the ,willoughby telephone during the day4 ,several local calls to tradesmen came first1 and these we passed over quickly4 ,finally we heard the following conversation3 8,hello4 ,is that you1 ,ella8 ,yes1 this is ,maud4 ,good-morning4 ,how do you feel to-day80 8,good-morning1 ,maud4 ,i don't feel very well4 ,i have a splitting headache40 8,oh1 that's too bad1 dear4 ,what are you doing for it80 8,nothing--yet4 ,if it doesn't get better ,i shall have ,mr4 ,willoughby call up ,dr4 ,guthrie40 8,oh1 ,i hope it gets better soon4 ,you poor creature1 don't you think a little trip into town might make you feel better8 ,had you thought of going to-day80 8,why1 no4 ,i hadn't thought of going in4 ,are you going80 8,did you see the ,trimble ad4 in the morning paper80 8,no1 ,i didn't see the papers this morning4 ,my head felt too bad40 8,well1 just glance at it4 ,it will interest you4 ,they have the ,kimberley ,queen1 the great new ,south ,african diamond on exhibition there40 8,they have8 ,i never heard of it before1 but isn't that interesting4 ,i certainly would like to see it4 ,have you ever seen it80 8,no1 but ,i have made up my mind not to miss a sight of it4 ,they say it is wonderful4 ,you'd better come along4 ,i may have something interesting to tell you1 too40 8,well1 ,i believe ,i will go4 ,thank you1 ,maud1 for suggesting it4 ,perhaps the little change will make me feel better4 ,what train are you going to take8 ,the ten-two8 ,all right1 ,i'll try to meet you at the station4 ,good-bye1 ,maud40 8,good-bye1 ,ella40 ,craig stopped the machine1 ran it back again and repeated the record4 8,so10 he commented at the conclusion of the repetition1 8the #8plant' has taken root4 ,annie ,grayson has bitten at the bait40 ,a few other local calls and a long-distance call from ,mr4 ,willoughby cut short by his not finding his wife at home followed4 ,then there seemed to have been nothing more until after dinner4 ,it was a call by ,mr4 ,willoughby himself that now interested us4 8,hello6 hello6 ,is that you1 ,dr4 ,guthrie8 ,well1 ,doctor1 this is ,mr4 ,willoughby talking4 ,i'd like to make an appointment for my wife to-morrow40 8,why1 what's the trouble1 ,mr4 ,willoughby8 ,nothing serious1 ,i hope40 8,oh1 no1 ,i guess not4 ,but then ,i want to be sure1 and ,i guess you can fix her up all right4 ,she complains of not being able to sleep and has been having pretty bad headaches now and then40 8,is that so8 ,well1 that's too bad4 ,these women and their headaches--even as a doctor they puzzle me4 ,they often go away as suddenly as they come4 ,however1 it will do no harm to see me40 8,and then she complains of noises in her ears1 seems to hear things1 though as far as ,i can make out1 there is nothing--at least nothing that ,i hear40 8,um-m1 hallucinations in hearing1 ,i suppose4 ,any dizziness80 8,why1 yes1 a little once in a while40 8,how is she now80 8,well1 she's been into town this afternoon and is pretty tired1 but she says she feels a little better for the excitement of the trip40 8,well1 let me see4 ,i've got to come down ,woodridge ,avenue to see a patient in a few minutes anyhow4 ,suppose ,i just drop off at your place80 8,that will be fine4 ,you don't think it is anything serious1 do you1 ,doctor80 8,oh1 no4 ,probably it's her nerves4 ,perhaps a little rest would do her good4 ,we'll see40 ,the telegraphone stopped1 and that seemed to be the last conversation recorded4 ,so far we had learned nothing very startling1 ,i thought1 and was just a little disappointed4 ,kennedy seemed well satisfied1 however4 ,our own telephone rang1 and it proved to be ,donnelly on the wire4 ,he had been trying to get ,kennedy all day1 in order to report that at various times his men at ,trimble's had observed ,mrs4 ,willoughby and later ,annie ,grayson looking with much interest at the ,kimberley ,queen1 and other jewels in the exhibit4 ,there was nothing more to report4 8,keep it on view another day or two10 ordered ,kennedy4 8,advertise it1 but in a quiet way4 ,we don't want too many people interested4 ,i'll see you in the morning at the store--early40 8,i think ,i'll just run back to ,glenclair again to-night10 remarked ,kennedy as he hung up the receiver4 8,you needn't bother about coming1 ,walter4 ,i want to see ,dr4 ,guthrie a moment4 ,you remember him8 ,we met him to-day at the country club1 a kindly looking1 middle-aged fellow80 ,i would willingly have gone back with him1 but ,i felt that ,i could be of no particular use4 ,while he was gone ,i pondered a good deal over the situation4 ,twice1 at least1 previously some one had pilfered jewellery from stores1 leaving in its place worthless imitations4 ,twice the evidence had been so conflicting that no one could judge of its value4 ,what reason1 ,i asked myself1 was there to suppose that it would be different now8 ,no shoplifter in her senses was likely to lift the great ,kimberley ,queen gem with the eagle eyes of clerks and detectives on her1 even if she did not discover that it was only a paste jewel4 ,and if ,craig gave the woman1 whoever she was1 a good opportunity to get away with it1 it would be a case of the same conflicting evidence2 or worse1 no evidence4 ,yet the more ,i thought of it1 the more apparent to me was it that ,kennedy must have thought the whole thing out before4 ,so far all that had been evident was that he was merely preparing a 8plant40 ,still1 ,i meant to caution him when he returned that one could not believe his eyes1 certainly not his ears1 as to what might happen1 unless he was unusually skilful or lucky4 ,it would not do to rely on anything so fallible as the human eye or ear1 and ,i meant to impress it on him4 ,what1 after all1 had been the net result of our activities so far8 ,we had found next to nothing4 ,indeed1 it was all a greater mystery than ever4 ,it was very late when ,craig returned1 but ,i gathered from the still fresh look on his face that he had been successful in whatever it was he had had in mind when he made the trip4 8,i saw ,dr4 ,guthrie10 he reported laconically1 as we prepared to turn in4 8,he says that he isn't quite sure but that ,mrs4 ,willoughby may have a touch of vertigo4 ,at any rate1 he has consented to let me come out to-morrow with him and visit her as a specialist in nervous diseases from ,new ,york4 ,i had to tell him just enough about the case to get him interested1 but that will do no harm4 ,i think ,i'll set this alarm an hour ahead4 ,i want to get up early to-morrow1 and if ,i shouldn't be here when you wake1 you'll find me at ,trimble's40 ,,xiv ,,the ,,crimeometer ,the alarm wakened me all right1 but to my surprise ,kennedy had already gone1 ahead of it4 ,i dressed hurriedly1 bolted an early breakfast1 and made my way to ,trimble's4 ,he was not there1 and ,i had about concluded to try the laboratory1 when ,i saw him pulling up in a cab from which he took several packages4 ,donnelly had joined us by this time1 and together we rode up in the elevator to the jewelry department4 ,i had never seen a department-store when it was empty1 but ,i think ,i should like to shop in one under those conditions4 ,it seemed incredible to get into the elevator and go directly to the floor you wanted4 ,the jewelry department was in the front of the building on one of the upper floors1 with wide windows through which the bright morning light streamed attractively on the glittering wares that the clerks were taking out of the safes and disposing to their best advantage4 ,the store had not opened yet1 and we could work unhampered4 ,from his packages1 ,kennedy took three black boxes4 ,they seemed to have an opening in front1 while at one side was a little crank1 which1 as nearly as ,i could make out1 was operated by clockwork released by an electric contact4 ,his first problem seemed to be to dispose the boxes to the best advantage at various angles about the counter where the ,kimberley ,queen was on exhibition4 ,with so much bric-a-brac and other large articles about1 it did not appear to be very difficult to conceal the boxes1 which were perhaps four inches square on the ends and eight inches deep4 ,from the boxes with the clockwork attachment at the side he led wires1 centring at a point at the interior end of the aisle where we could see but would hardly be observed by any one standing at the jewelry counter4 ,customers had now begun to arrive1 and we took a position in the background1 prepared for a long wait4 ,now and then ,donnelly casually sauntered past us4 ,he and ,craig had disposed the store detectives in a certain way so as to make their presence less obvious1 while the clerks had received instructions how to act under the circumstance that a suspicious person was observed4 ,once when ,donnelly came up he was quite excited4 ,he had just received a message from ,bentley that some of the stolen property1 the pearls1 probably1 from the dog collar that had been taken from ,shorham's1 had been offered for sale by a 8fence0 known to the police as a former confederate of ,annie ,grayson4 8,you see1 that is one great trouble with them all10 he remarked1 with his eye roving about the store in search of anything irregular4 8,a shoplifter rarely becomes a habitual criminal until after she passes the age of twenty-five4 ,if they pass that age without quitting1 there is little hope of their getting right again1 as you see4 ,for by that time they have long since begun to consort with thieves of the other sex40 ,the hours dragged heavily1 though it was a splendid chance to observe at leisure the psychology of the shopper who looked at much and bought little1 the uncomfortableness of the men who had been dragged to the department store slaughter to say 8,yes0 and foot the bills1 a kaleidoscopic throng which might have been interesting if we had not been so intent on only one matter4 ,kennedy grasped my elbow in vise-like fingers4 ,involuntarily ,i looked down at the counter where the ,kimberley ,queen reposed in all the trappings of genuineness4 ,mrs4 ,willoughby had arrived again4 ,we were too far off to observe distinctly just what was taking place1 but evidently ,mrs4 ,willoughby was looking at the gem4 ,a moment later another woman sauntered casually up to the counter4 ,even at a distance ,i recognised ,annie ,grayson4 ,as nearly as ,i could make out they seemed to exchange remarks4 ,the clerk answered a question or two1 then began to search for something apparently to show them4 ,every one about them was busy1 and1 obedient to instructions from ,donnelly1 the store detectives were in the background4 ,kennedy was leaning forward watching as intently as the distance would permit4 ,he reached over and pressed the button near him4 ,after a minute or two the second woman left1 followed shortly by ,mrs4 ,willoughby herself4 ,we hurried over to the counter1 and ,kennedy seized the box containing the ,kimberley ,queen4 ,he examined it carefully4 ,a flaw in the paste jewel caught his eye4 8,there has been a substitution here10 he cried4 8,see6 ,the paste jewel which we used was flawless2 this has a little carbon spot here on the side40 8,one of my men has been detailed to follow each of them10 whispered ,donnelly4 8,shall ,i order them to bring ,mrs4 ,willoughby and ,annie ,grayson to the superintendent's office and have them searched80 8,no10 ,craig almost shouted4 8,that would spoil everything4 ,don't make a move until ,i get at the real truth of this affair40 ,the case was becoming more than ever a puzzle to me1 but there was nothing left for me to do but to wait until ,kennedy was ready to accompany ,dr4 ,guthrie to the ,willoughby house4 ,several times he tried to reach the doctor by telephone1 but it was not until the middle of the afternoon that he succeeded4 8,i shall be quite busy the rest of the afternoon1 ,walter10 remarked ,craig1 after he had made his appointment with ,dr4 ,guthrie4 8,if you will meet me out at the ,willoughbys' at about eight o'clock1 ,i shall be much obliged to you40 ,i promised1 and tried to devote myself to catching up with my notes1 which were always sadly behind when ,kennedy had an important case4 ,i did not succeed in accomplishing much1 however4 ,dr4 ,guthrie himself met me at the door of the beautiful house on ,woodridge ,avenue and with a hearty handshake ushered me into the large room in the right wing outside of which we had placed the telegraphone two nights before4 ,it was the library4 ,we found ,kennedy arranging an instrument in the music-room which adjoined the library4 ,from what little knowledge ,i have of electricity ,i should have said it was1 in part at least1 a galvanometer1 one of those instruments which register the intensity of minute electric currents4 ,as nearly as ,i could make out1 in this case the galvanometer was so arranged that its action swung to one side or the other a little concave mirror hung from a framework which rested on the table4 ,directly in front of it was an electric light1 and the reflection of the light was caught in the mirror and focused by its concavity upon a point to one side of the light4 ,back of it was a long strip of ground glass and an arrow point1 attached to which was a pen which touched a roll of paper4 ,on the large table in the library itself ,kennedy had placed in the centre a transverse board partition1 high enough so that two people seated could see each other's faces and converse over it1 but could not see each other's hands4 ,on one side of the partition were two metal domes which were fixed to a board set on the table4 ,on the other side1 in addition to space on which he could write1 ,kennedy had arranged what looked like one of these new miniature moving-picture apparatuses operated by electricity4 ,indeed1 ,i felt that it must be that1 for directly in front of it1 hanging on the wall1 in plain view of any one seated on the side of the table containing the metal domes1 was a large white sheet4 ,the time for the experiment1 whatever its nature might be1 had at last arrived1 and ,dr4 ,guthrie introduced ,mr4 and ,mrs4 ,willoughby to us as specialists whom he had persuaded with great difficulty to come down from ,new ,york4 ,mr4 ,willoughby he requested to remain outside until after the tests4 ,she seemed perfectly calm as she greeted us1 and looked with curiosity at the paraphernalia which ,kennedy had installed in her library4 ,kennedy1 who was putting some finishing touches on it1 was talking in a low voice to reassure her4 8,if you will sit here1 please1 ,mrs4 ,willoughby1 and place your hands on these two brass domes--there1 that's it4 ,this is just a little arrangement to test your nervous condition4 ,dr4 ,guthrie1 who understands it1 will take his position outside in the music-room at that other table4 ,walter1 just switch off that light1 please4 8,mrs4 ,willoughby1 ,i may say that in testing1 say1 the memory1 we psychologists have recently developed two tests1 the event test1 where something is made to happen before a person's eyes and later he is asked to describe it1 and the picture test1 where a picture is shown for a certain length of time1 after which the patient is also asked to describe what was in the picture4 ,i have endeavoured to combine these two ideas by using the moving-picture machine which you see here4 ,i am going to show three reels of films40 ,as nearly as ,i could make out ,kennedy had turned on the light in the lantern on his side of the table4 ,as he worked over the machine1 which for the present served to distract ,mrs4 ,willoughby's attention from herself1 he was asking her a series of questions4 ,from my position ,i could see that by the light of the machine he was recording both the questions and the answers1 as well as the time registered to the fifth of a second by a stop-watch4 ,mrs4 ,willoughby could not see what he was doing under the pretence of working over his little moving-picture machine4 ,he had at last finished the questioning4 ,suddenly1 without any warning1 a picture began to play on the sheet4 ,i must say that ,i was startled myself4 ,it represented the jewelry counter at ,trimble's1 and in it ,i could see ,mrs4 ,willoughby herself in animated conversation with one of the clerks4 ,i looked intently1 dividing my attention between the picture and the woman4 ,but so far as ,i could see there was nothing in this first film that incriminated either of them4 ,kennedy started on the second without stopping4 ,it was practically the same as the first1 only taken from a different angle4 ,he had scarcely run it half through when ,dr4 ,guthrie opened the door4 8,i think ,mrs4 ,willoughby must have taken her hands off the metal domes10 he remarked2 8,i can get no record out here40 ,i had turned when he opened the door1 and now ,i caught a glimpse of ,mrs4 ,willoughby standing1 her hands pressed tightly to her head as if it were bursting1 and swaying as if she would faint4 ,i do not know what the film was showing at this point1 for ,kennedy with a quick movement shut it off and sprang to her side4 8,there1 that will do1 ,mrs4 ,willoughby4 ,i see that you are not well10 he soothed4 8,doctor1 a little something to quiet her nerves4 ,i think we can complete our work merely by comparing notes4 ,call ,mr4 ,willoughby1 ,walter4 ,there1 sir1 if you will take charge of your wife and perhaps take her for a turn or two in the fresh air1 ,i think we can tell you in a few moments whether her condition is in any way serious or not40 ,mrs4 ,willoughby was on the verge of hysterics as her husband supported her out of the room4 ,the door had scarcely shut before ,kennedy threw open a window and seemed to beckon into the darkness4 ,as if from nowhere1 ,donnelly and ,bentley sprang to and were admitted4 ,dr4 ,guthrie had now returned from the music-room1 bearing a sheet of paper on which was traced a long irregular curve at various points on which marginal notes had been written hastily4 ,kennedy leaped directly into the middle of things with his characteristic ardour4 8,you recall10 he began1 8that no one seemed to know just who took the jewels in both the cases you first reported8 #8,seeing is believing1' is an old saying1 but in the face of such reports as you detectives gathered it is in a fair way to lose its force4 ,and you were not at fault1 either1 for modern psychology is proving by experiments that people do not see even a fraction of the things they confidently believe they see4 8,for example1 a friend of mine1 a professor in a ,western university1 has carried on experiments with scores of people and has not found one who could give a completely accurate description of what he had seen1 even in the direct testimony2 while under the influence of questions1 particularly if they were at all leading1 witnesses all showed extensive inaccuracies in one or more particulars1 and that even though they are in a more advantageous position for giving reports than were your clerks who were not prepared4 ,indeed1 it is often a wonder to me that witnesses of ordinary events who are called upon in court to relate what they saw after a considerable lapse of time are as accurate as they are1 considering the questioning they often go through from interested parties1 neighbours and friends1 and the constant and often biased rehearsing of the event4 ,the court asks the witness to tell the truth1 the whole truth1 and nothing but the truth4 ,how can he8 ,in fact1 ,i am often surprised that there is such a resemblance between the testimony and the actual facts of the case6 8,but ,i have here a little witness that never lies1 and1 mindful of the fallibility of ordinary witnesses1 ,i called it in4 ,it is a new1 compact1 little motion camera which has just been perfected to do automatically what the big moving-picture making cameras do40 ,he touched one of the little black boxes such as we had seen him install in the jewelry department at ,trimble's4 8,each of these holds one hundred and sixty feet of film10 he resumed1 8enough to last three minutes1 taking1 say1 sixteen pictures to the foot and running about one foot a second4 ,you know that less than ten or eleven pictures a second affect the retina as separate1 broken pictures4 ,the use of this compact little motion camera was suggested to me by an ingenious but cumbersome invention recently offered to the police in ,paris--the installation on the clock-towers in various streets of cinematograph apparatus directed by wireless4 ,the motion camera as a detective has now proved its value4 ,i have here three films taken at ,trimble's1 from different angles1 and they clearly show exactly what actually occurred while ,mrs4 ,willoughby and ,annie ,grayson were looking at the ,kimberley ,queen40 ,he paused as if analysing the steps in his own mind4 8,the telegraphone gave me the first hint of the truth10 he said4 8,the motion camera brought me a step nearer1 but without this third instrument1 while ,i should have been successful1 ,i would not have got at the whole truth40 ,he was fingering the apparatus on the library table connected with that in the music-room4 8,this is the psychometer for testing mental aberrations10 he explained4 8,the scientists who are using it to-day are working1 not with a view to aiding criminal jurisprudence1 but with the hope of making such discoveries that the mental health of the race may be bettered4 ,still1 ,i believe that in the study of mental diseases these men are furnishing the knowledge upon which future criminologists will build to make the detection of crime an absolute certainty4 ,some day there will be no jury1 no detectives1 no witnesses1 no attorneys4 ,the state will merely submit all suspects to tests of scientific instruments like these1 and as these instruments can not make mistakes or tell lies their evidence will be conclusive of guilt or innocence4 8,already the psychometer is an actual working fact4 ,no living man can conceal his emotions from the uncanny instrument4 ,he may bring the most gigantic of will-powers into play to conceal his inner feelings and the psychometer will record the very work which he makes this will-power do4 8,the machine is based upon the fact that experiments have proved that the human body's resistance to an electrical current is increased with the increase of the emotions4 ,dr4 ,jung1 of ,zurich1 thought that it would be a very simple matter to record these varying emotions1 and the psychometer is the result--simple and crude to-day compared with what we have a right to expect in the future4 8,a galvanometer is so arranged that its action swings a mirror from side to side1 reflecting a light4 ,this light falls on a ground-glass scale marked off into centimetres1 and the arrow is made to follow the beam of light4 ,a pen pressing down on a metal drum carrying a long roll of paper revolved by machinery records the variations4 ,dr4 ,guthrie1 who had charge of the recording1 simply sat in front of the ground glass and with the arrow point followed the reflection of the light as it moved along the scale1 in this way making a record on the paper on the drum1 which ,i see he is now holding in his hand4 8,mrs4 ,willoughby1 the subject1 and myself1 the examiner1 sat here1 facing each other over this table4 ,through those metal domes on which she was to keep her hands she received an electric current so weak that it could not be felt even by the most sensitive nerves4 ,now with every increase in her emotion1 either while ,i was putting questions to her or showing her the pictures1 whether she showed it outwardly or not1 she increased her body's resistance to the current that was being passed in through her hands4 ,the increase was felt by the galvanometer connected by wires in the music-room1 the mirror swung1 the light travelled on the scale1 the arrow was moved by ,dr4 ,guthrie1 and her varying emotions were recorded indelibly upon the revolving sheet of paper1 recorded in such a way as to show their intensity and reveal to the trained scientist much of the mental condition of the subject40 ,kennedy and ,dr4 ,guthrie now conversed in low tones4 ,once in a while ,i could catch a scrap of the conversation--8not an epileptic10 8no abnormal conformation of the head10 8certain mental defects10 8often the result of sickness or accident40 8,every time that woman appeared there was a most peculiar disturbance10 remarked ,dr4 ,guthrie as ,kennedy took the roll of paper from him and studied it carefully4 ,at length the light seemed to break through his face4 8,among the various kinds of insanity10 he said1 slowly measuring his words1 8there is one that manifests itself as an irresistible impulse to steal4 ,such terms as neuropath and kleptomaniac are often regarded as rather elegant names for contemptible excuses invented by medical men to cover up stealing4 ,people are prone to say cynically1 #8,poor man's sins2 rich man's diseases4' ,yet kleptomania does exist1 and it is easy to make it seem like crime when it is really persistent1 incorrigible1 and irrational stealing4 ,often it is so great as to be incurable4 ,cases have been recorded of clergymen who were kleptomaniacs and in one instance a dying victim stole the snuffbox of his confessor4 8,it is the pleasure and excitement of stealing1 not the desire for the object stolen1 which distinguishes the kleptomaniac from the ordinary thief4 ,usually the kleptomaniac is a woman1 with an insane desire to steal for the mere sake of stealing4 ,the morbid craving for excitement which is at the bottom of so many motiveless and useless crimes1 again and again has driven apparently sensible men and women to ruin and even to suicide4 ,it is a form of emotional insanity1 not loss of control of the will1 but perversion of the will4 ,some are models in their lucid intervals1 but when the mania is on them they cannot resist4 ,the very act of taking constitutes the pleasure1 not possession4 ,one must take into consideration many things1 for such diseases as kleptomania belong exclusively to civilisation2 they are the product of an age of sensationalism4 ,naturally enough1 woman1 with her delicately balanced nervous organisation1 is the first and chief offender40 ,kennedy had seated himself at the table and was writing hastily4 ,when he had finished1 he held the papers in his hand to dry4 ,he handed one sheet each to ,bentley and ,donnelly4 ,we crowded about4 ,kennedy had simply written out two bills for the necklace and the collar of pearls4 8,send them in to ,mr4 ,willoughby10 he added4 8,i think he will be glad to pay them to hush up the scandal40 ,we looked at each other in amazement at the revelation4 8,but what about ,annie ,grayson80 persisted ,donnelly4 8,i have taken care of her10 responded ,kennedy laconically4 8,she is already under arrest4 ,would you like to see why80 ,a moment later we had all piled into ,dr4 ,guthrie's car1 standing at the door4 ,at the cosy little ,grayson villa we found two large eyed detectives and a very angry woman waiting impatiently4 ,heaped up on a table in the living room was a store of loot that readily accounted for the ocular peculiarity of the detectives4 ,the jumble on the table contained a most magnificent collection of diamonds1 sapphires1 ropes of pearls1 emeralds1 statuettes1 and bronze and ivory antiques1 books in rare bindings1 and other baubles which wealth alone can command4 ,it dazzled our eyes as we made a mental inventory of the heap4 ,yet it was a most miscellaneous collection4 ,beside a pearl collar with a diamond clasp were a pair of plain leather slippers and a pair of silk stockings4 ,things of value and things of no value were mixed as if by a lunatic4 ,a beautiful neck ornament of carved coral lay near a half-dozen common linen handkerchiefs4 ,a strip of silk hid a valuable collection of antique jewellery4 ,besides diamonds and precious stones by the score were gold and silver ornaments1 silks1 satins1 laces1 draperies1 articles of virtu1 plumes1 even cutlery and bric-a-brac4 ,all this must have been the result of countless excursions to the stores of ,new ,york and innumerable clever thefts4 ,we could only look at each other in amazement and wonder at the defiance written on the face of ,annie ,grayson4 8,in all this strange tangle of events10 remarked ,kennedy1 surveying the pile with obvious satisfaction1 8,i find that the precise instruments of science have told me one more thing4 ,some one else discovered ,mrs4 ,willoughby's weakness1 led her on1 suggested opportunities to her1 used her again and again1 profited by her malady1 probably to the extent of thousands of dollars4 ,my telegraphone record hinted at that4 ,in some way ,annie ,grayson secured the confidence of ,mrs4 ,willoughby4 ,the one took for the sake of taking2 the other received for the sake of money4 ,mrs4 ,willoughby was easily persuaded by her new friend to leave here what she had stolen4 ,besides1 having taken it1 she had no further interest in it4 8,the rule of law is that every one is responsible who knows the nature and consequences of his act4 ,we have absolute proof that you1 ,annie ,grayson1 although you did not actually commit any of the thefts yourself1 led ,mrs4 ,willoughby on and profited by her4 ,dr4 ,guthrie will take care of the case of ,mrs4 ,willoughby4 ,but the law must deal with you for playing on the insanity of a kleptomaniac--the cleverest scheme yet of the queen of shoplifters40 ,as ,kennedy turned nonchalantly from the detectives who had seized ,annie ,grayson1 he drew a little red folder from his pocket4 8,you see1 ,walter10 he smiled1 8how soon one gets into a habit8 ,i'm almost a regular commuter1 now4 ,you know1 they are always bringing out these little red folders just when things grow interesting40 ,i glanced over his shoulder4 ,he was studying the local timetable4 8,we can get the last train from ,glenclair if we hurry10 he announced1 stuffing the folder back into his pocket4 8,they will take her to ,newark by trolley1 ,i suppose4 ,come on40 ,we made our hasty adieux and escaped as best we could the shower of congratulations4 8,now for a rest10 he said1 settling back into the plush covered seat for the long ride into town1 his hat down over his eyes and his legs hunched up against the back of the next seat4 ,across in the tube and uptown in a nighthawk cab we went and at last we were home for a good sleep4 8,this promises to be an off-day10 ,craig remarked1 the next morning over the breakfast table4 8,meet me in the forenoon and we'll take a long1 swinging walk4 ,i feel the need of physical exercise40 8,a mark of returning sanity60 ,i exclaimed4 ,i had become so used to being called out on the unexpected1 now1 that ,i almost felt that some one might stop us on our tramp4 ,nothing of the sort happened1 however1 until our return4 ,then a middle-aged man and a young girl1 heavily veiled1 were waiting for ,kennedy1 as we turned in from the brisk finish in the cutting river wind along the ,drive4 8,winslow is my name1 sir10 the man began1 rising nervously as we entered the room1 8and this is my only daughter1 ,ruth40 ,kennedy bowed and we waited for the man to proceed4 ,he drew his hand over his forehead which was moist with perspiration in spite of the season4 ,ruth ,winslow was an attractive young woman1 ,i could see at a glance1 although her face was almost completely hidden by the thick veil4 8,perhaps1 ,ruth1 ,i had better--ah--see these gentlemen alone80 suggested her father gently4 8,no1 father10 she answered in a tone of forced bravery1 8,i think not4 ,i can stand it4 ,i must stand it4 ,perhaps ,i can help you in telling about the--the case40 ,mr4 ,winslow cleared his throat4 8,we are from ,goodyear1 a little mill-town10 he proceeded slowly1 8and as you doubtless can see we have just arrived after travelling all day40 8,goodyear10 repeated ,kennedy slowly as the man paused4 8,the chief industry1 of course1 is rubber1 ,i suppose40 8,yes10 assented ,mr4 ,winslow1 8the town centres about rubber4 ,our factories are not the largest but are very large1 nevertheless1 and are all that keep the town going4 ,it is on rubber1 also1 ,i fear1 that the tragedy which ,i am about to relate hangs4 ,i suppose the ,new ,york papers have had nothing to say of the strange death of ,bradley ,cushing1 a young chemist in ,goodyear who was formerly employed by the mills but had lately set up a little laboratory of his own80 ,kennedy turned to me4 8,nothing unless the late editions of the evening papers have it10 ,i replied4 8,perhaps it is just as well10 continued ,mr4 ,winslow4 8,they wouldn't have it straight4 ,in fact1 no one has it straight yet4 ,that is why we have come to you4 ,you see1 to my way of thinking ,bradley ,cushing was on the road to changing the name of the town from ,goodyear to ,cushing4 ,he was not the inventor of synthetic rubber about which you hear nowadays1 but he had improved the process so much that there is no doubt that synthetic rubber would soon have been on the market cheaper and better than the best natural rubber from ,para4 8,goodyear is not a large place1 but it is famous for its rubber and uses a great deal of raw material4 ,we have sent out some of the best men in the business1 seeking new sources in ,south ,america1 in ,mexico1 in ,ceylon1 ,malaysia and the ,congo4 ,what our people do not know about rubber is hardly worth knowing1 from the crude gum to the thousands of forms of finished products4 ,goodyear is a wealthy little town1 too1 for its size4 ,naturally all its investments are in rubber1 not only in our own mills but in companies all over the world4 ,last year several of our leading citizens became interested in a new concession in the ,congo granted to a group of ,american capitalists1 among whom was ,lewis ,borland1 who is easily the local magnate of our town4 ,when this group organised an expedition to explore the region preparatory to taking up the concession1 several of the best known people in ,goodyear accompanied the party and later subscribed for large blocks of stock4 8,i say all this so that you will understand at the start just what part rubber plays in the life of our little community4 ,you can readily see that such being the case1 whatever advantage the world at large might gain from cheap synthetic rubber would scarcely benefit those whose money and labour had been expended on the assumption that rubber would be scarce and dear4 ,naturally1 then1 ,bradley ,cushing was not precisely popular with a certain set in ,goodyear4 ,as for myself1 ,i am frank to admit that ,i might have shared the opinion of many others regarding him1 for ,i have a small investment in this ,congo enterprise myself4 ,but the fact is that ,cushing1 when he came to our town fresh from his college fellowship in industrial chemistry1 met my daughter40 ,without taking his eyes off ,kennedy1 he reached over and patted the gloved hand that clutched the arm of the chair alongside his own4 8,they were engaged and often they used to talk over what they would do when ,bradley's invention of a new way to polymerise isoprene1 as the process is called1 had solved the rubber question and had made him rich4 ,i firmly believe that their dreams were not day dreams1 either4 ,the thing was done4 ,i have seen his products and ,i know something about rubber4 ,there were no impurities in his rubber40 ,mr4 ,winslow paused4 ,ruth was sobbing quietly4 8,this morning10 he resumed hastily1 8,bradley ,cushing was found dead in his laboratory under the most peculiar circumstances4 ,i do not know whether his secret died with him or whether some one has stolen it4 ,from the indications ,i concluded that he had been murdered40 ,such was the case as ,kennedy and ,i heard it then4 ,ruth looked up at him with tearful eyes wistful with pain1 8,would ,mr4 ,kennedy work on it80 ,there was only one answer4 ,,xv ,,the ,,vampire ,as we sped out to the little mill-town on the last train1 after ,kennedy had insisted on taking us all to a quiet little restaurant1 he placed us so that ,miss ,winslow was furthest from him and her father nearest4 ,i could hear now and then scraps of their conversation as he resumed his questioning1 and knew that ,mr4 ,winslow was proving to be a good observer4 8,cushing used to hire a young fellow of some scientific experience1 named ,strong10 said ,mr4 ,winslow as he endeavoured to piece the facts together as logically as it was possible to do4 8,strong used to open his laboratory for him in the morning1 clean up the dirty apparatus1 and often assist him in some of his experiments4 ,this morning when ,strong approached the laboratory at the usual time he was surprised to see that though it was broad daylight there was a light burning4 ,he was alarmed and before going in looked through the window4 ,the sight that he saw froze him4 ,there lay ,cushing on a workbench and beside him and around him pools of coagulating blood4 ,the door was not locked1 as we found afterward1 but the young man did not stop to enter4 ,he ran to me and1 fortunately1 ,i met him at our door4 ,i went back4 8,we opened the unlocked door4 ,the first thing1 as ,i recall it1 that greeted me was an unmistakable odour of oranges4 ,it was a very penetrating and very peculiar odour4 ,i didn't understand it1 for there seemed to be something else in it besides the orange smell4 ,however1 ,i soon found out what it was1 or at least ,strong did4 ,i don't know whether you know anything about it1 but it seems that when you melt real rubber in the effort to reduce it to carbon and hydrogen1 you get a liquid substance which is known as isoprene4 ,well1 isoprene1 according to ,strong1 gives out an odour something like ether4 ,cushing1 or some one else1 had apparently been heating isoprene4 ,as soon as ,strong mentioned the smell of ether ,i recognised that that was what made the smell of oranges so peculiar4 8,however1 that's not the point4 ,there lay ,cushing on his back on the workbench1 just as ,strong had said4 ,i bent over him1 and in his arm1 which was bare1 ,i saw a little gash made by some sharp instrument and laying bare an artery1 ,i think1 which was cut4 ,long spurts of blood covered the floor for some distance around and from the veins in his arm1 which had also been severed1 a long stream of blood led to a hollow in the cement floor where it had collected4 ,i believe that he bled to death40 8,and the motive for such a terrible crime80 queried ,craig4 ,mr4 ,winslow shook his head helplessly4 8,i suppose there are plenty of motives10 he answered slowly1 8as many motives as there are big investments in rubber-producing ventures in ,goodyear40 8,but have you any idea who would go so far to protect his investments as to kill80 persisted ,kennedy4 ,mr4 ,winslow made no reply4 8,who10 asked ,kennedy1 8was chiefly interested in the rubber works where ,cushing was formerly employed80 8,the president of the company is the ,mr4 ,borland whom ,i mentioned10 replied ,mr4 ,winslow4 8,he is a man of about forty1 ,i should say1 and is reputed to own a majority of the--0 8,oh1 father10 interrupted ,miss ,winslow1 who had caught the drift of the conversation in spite of the pains that had been taken to keep it away from her1 8,mr4 ,borland would never dream of such a thing4 ,it is wrong even to think of it40 8,i didn't say that he would1 my dear10 corrected ,mr4 ,winslow gently4 8,professor ,kennedy asked me who was chiefly interested in the rubber works and ,mr4 ,borland owns a majority of the stock40 ,he leaned over and whispered to ,kennedy1 8,borland is a visitor at our home1 and between you and me1 he thinks a great deal of ,ruth40 ,i looked quickly at ,kennedy1 but he was absorbed in looking out of the car window at the landscape which he did not and could not see4 8,you said there were others who had an interest in outside companies10 cross-questioned ,kennedy4 8,i take it that you mean companies dealing in crude rubber1 the raw material1 people with investments in plantations and concessions1 perhaps4 ,who are they8 ,who were the men who went on that expedition to the ,congo with ,borland which you mentioned80 8,of course1 there was ,borland himself10 answered ,winslow4 8,then there was a young chemist named ,lathrop1 a very clever and ambitious fellow who succeeded ,cushing when he resigned from the works1 and ,dr4 ,harris1 who was persuaded to go because of his friendship for ,borland4 ,after they took up the concession ,i believe all of them put money into it1 though how much ,i can't say40 ,i was curious to ask whether there were any other visitors at the ,winslow house who might be rivals for ,ruth's affections1 but there was no opportunity4 ,nothing more was said until we arrived at ,goodyear4 ,we found the body of ,cushing lying in a modest little mortuary chapel of an undertaking establishment on the main street4 ,kennedy at once began his investigation by discovering what seemed to have escaped others4 ,about the throat were light discolourations that showed that the young inventor had been choked by a man with a powerful grasp1 although the fact that the marks had escaped observation led quite obviously to the conclusion that he had not met his death in that way1 and that the marks probably played only a minor part in the tragedy4 ,kennedy passed over the doubtful evidence of strangulation for the more profitable examination of the little gash in the wrist4 8,the radial artery has been cut10 he mused4 ,a low exclamation from him brought us all bending over him as he stooped and examined the cold form4 ,he was holding in the palm of his hand a little piece of something that shone like silver4 ,it was in the form of a minute hollow cylinder with two grooves on it1 a cylinder so tiny that it would scarcely have slipped over the point of a pencil4 8,where did you find it80 ,i asked eagerly4 ,he pointed to the wound4 8,sticking in the severed end of a piece of vein10 he replied1 half to himself1 8cuffed over the end of the radial artery which had been severed1 and done so neatly as to be practically hidden4 ,it was done so cleverly that the inner linings of the vein and artery1 the endothelium as it is called1 were in complete contact with each other40 ,as ,i looked at the little silver thing and at ,kennedy's face1 which betrayed nothing1 ,i felt that here indeed was a mystery4 ,what new scientific engine of death was that little hollow cylinder8 8,next ,i should like to visit the laboratory10 he remarked simply4 ,fortunately1 the laboratory had been shut and nothing had been disturbed except by the undertaker and his men who had carried the body away4 ,strong had left word that he had gone to ,boston1 where1 in a safe deposit box1 was a sealed envelope in which ,cushing kept a copy of the combination of his safe1 which had died with him4 ,there was1 therefore1 no hope of seeing the assistant until the morning4 ,kennedy found plenty to occupy his time in his minute investigation of the laboratory4 ,there1 for instance1 was the pool of blood leading back by a thin dark stream to the workbench and its terrible figure1 which ,i could almost picture to myself lying there through the silent hours of the night before1 with its life blood slowly oozing away1 unconscious1 powerless to save itself4 ,there were spurts of arterial blood on the floor and on the nearby laboratory furniture1 and beside the workbench another smaller and isolated pool of blood4 ,on a table in a corner by the window stood a microscope which ,cushing evidently used1 and near it a box of fresh sterilised slides4 ,kennedy1 who had been casting his eye carefully about taking in the whole laboratory1 seemed delighted to find the slides4 ,he opened the box and gingerly took out some of the little oblong pieces of glass1 on each of which he dropped a couple of minute drops of blood from the arterial spurts and the venous pools on the floor4 ,near the workbench were circular marks1 much as if some jars had been set down there4 ,we were watching him1 almost in awe at the matter of fact manner in which1 he was proceeding in what to us was nothing but a hopeless enigma1 when ,i saw him stoop and pick up a few little broken pieces of glass4 ,there seemed to be blood spots on the glass1 as on other things1 but particularly interesting to him4 ,a moment later ,i saw that he was holding in his hand what were apparently the remains of a little broken vial which he had fitted together from the pieces4 ,evidently it had been used and dropped in haste4 8,a vial for a local anesthetic10 he remarked4 8,this is the sort of thing that might be injected into an arm or leg and deaden the pain of a cut1 but that is all4 ,it wouldn't affect the consciousness or prevent any one from resisting a murderer to the last4 ,i doubt if that had anything directly to do with his death1 or perhaps even that this is ,cushing's blood on it40 ,unlike ,winslow ,i had seen ,kennedy in action so many times that ,i knew it was useless to speculate4 ,but ,i was fascinated1 for the deeper we got into the case1 the more unusual and inexplicable it seemed4 ,i gave that end of it up1 but the fact that ,strong had gone to secure the combination of the safe suggested to me to examine that article4 ,there was certainly no evidence of robbery or even of an attempt at robbery there4 8,was any doctor called80 asked ,kennedy4 8,yes10 he replied4 8,though ,i knew it was of no use ,i called in ,dr4 ,howe1 who lives up the street from the laboratory4 ,i should have called ,dr4 ,harris1 who used to be my own physician1 but since his return from ,africa with the ,borland expedition1 he has not been in very good health and has practically given up his practice4 ,dr4 ,howe is the best practising physician in town1 ,i think40 8,we shall call on him to-morrow10 said ,craig1 snapping his watch1 which already marked far after midnight4 ,dr4 ,howe proved1 the next day1 to be an athletic-looking man1 and ,i could not help noticing and admiring his powerful frame and his hearty handshake1 as he greeted us when we dropped into his office with a card from ,winslow4 ,the doctor's theory was that ,cushing had committed suicide4 8,but why should a young man who had invented a new method of polymerising isoprene1 who was going to become wealthy1 and was engaged to a beautiful young girl1 commit suicide80 ,the doctor shrugged his shoulders4 ,it was evident that he1 too1 belonged to the 8natural rubber set0 which dominated ,goodyear4 8,i haven't looked into the case very deeply1 but ,i'm not so sure that he had the secret1 are you80 ,kennedy smiled4 8,that is what ,i'd like to know4 ,i suppose that an expert like ,mr4 ,borland could tell me1 perhaps80 8,i should think so40 8,where is his office80 asked ,craig4 8,could you point it out to me from the window80 ,kennedy was standing by one of the windows of the doctor's office1 and as he spoke he turned and drew a little field glass from his pocket4 8,which end of the rubber works is it80 ,dr4 ,howe tried to direct him but ,kennedy appeared unwarrantably obtuse1 requiring the doctor to raise the window1 and it was some moments before he got his glasses on the right spot4 ,kennedy and ,i thanked the doctor for his courtesy and left the office4 ,we went at once to the office of ,dr4 ,harris1 to whom ,winslow had also given us cards4 ,we found him an anaemic man1 half asleep4 ,kennedy tentatively suggested the murder of ,cushing4 8,well1 if you ask me my opinion10 snapped out the doctor1 8although ,i wasn't called into the case1 from what ,i hear1 ,i'd say that he was murdered40 8,some seem to think it was suicide10 prompted ,kennedy4 8,people who have brilliant prospects and are engaged to pretty girls don't usually die of their own accord10 rasped ,harris4 8,so you think he really did have the secret of artificial rubber80 asked ,craig4 8,not artificial rubber4 ,synthetic rubber4 ,it was the real thing1 ,i believe40 8,did ,mr4 ,borland and his new chemist ,lathrop believe it1 too80 8,i can't say4 ,but ,i should surely advise you to see them40 ,the doctor's face was twitching nervously4 8,where is ,borland's office80 repeated ,kennedy1 again taking from his pocket the field glass and adjusting it carefully by the window4 8,over there10 directed ,harris1 indicating the corner of the works to which we had already been directed4 ,kennedy had stepped closer to the window before him and ,i stood beside him looking out also4 8,the cut was a very peculiar one10 remarked ,kennedy1 still adjusting the glasses4 8,an artery and a vein had been placed together so that the endothelium1 or inner lining of each1 was in contact with the other1 giving a continuous serous surface4 ,which window did you say was ,borland's8 ,i wish you'd step to the other window and raise it1 so that ,i can be sure4 ,i don't want to go wandering all over the works looking for him40 8,yes10 the doctor said as he went1 leaving him standing beside the window from which he had been directing us1 8yes1 you surely should see ,mr4 ,borland4 ,and don't forget that young chemist of his1 ,lathrop1 either1 ,if ,i can be of any more help to you1 come back again40 ,it was a long walk through the village and factory yards to the office of ,lewis ,borland1 but we were amply repaid by finding him in and ready to see us4 ,borland was a typical ,yankee1 tall1 thin1 evidently predisposed to indigestion1 a man of tremendous mental and nervous energy and with a hidden wiry strength4 8,mr4 ,borland10 introduced ,kennedy1 changing his tactics and adopting a new role1 8,i've come down to you as an authority on rubber to ask you what your opinion is regarding the invention of a townsman of yours named ,cushing40 8,cushing80 repeated ,borland in some surprise4 8,why--0 8,yes10 interrupted ,kennedy1 8,i understand all about it4 ,i had heard of his invention in ,new ,york and would have put some money into it if ,i could have been convinced4 ,i was to see him to-day1 but of course1 as you were going to say1 his death prevents it4 ,still1 ,i should like to know what you think about it40 8,well10 ,borland added1 jerking out his words nervously1 as seemed to be his habit1 8,cushing was a bright young fellow4 ,he used to work for me until he began to know too much about the rubber business40 8,do you know anything about his scheme80 insinuated ,kennedy4 8,very little1 except that it was not patented yet1 ,i believe1 though he told every one that the patent was applied for and he expected to get a basic patent in some way without any interference40 8,well10 drawled ,kennedy1 affecting as nearly as possible the air of a promoter1 8if ,i could get his assistant1 or some one who had authority to be present1 would you1 as a practical rubber man1 go over to his laboratory with me8 ,i'd join you in making an offer to his estate for the rights to the process1 if it seemed any good40 8,you're a cool one10 ejaculated ,borland1 with a peculiar avaricious twinkle in the corners of his eyes4 8,his body is scarcely cold and yet you come around proposing to buy out his invention and--and1 of all persons1 you come to me40 8,to you80 inquired ,kennedy blandly4 8,yes1 to me4 ,don't you know that synthetic rubber would ruin the business system that ,i have built up here80 ,still ,craig persisted and argued4 8,young man10 said ,borland rising at length as if an idea had struck him1 8,i like your nerve4 ,yes1 ,i will go4 ,i'll show you that ,i don't fear any competition from rubber made out of fusel oil or any other old kind of oil40 ,he rang a bell and a boy answered4 8,call ,lathrop10 he ordered4 ,the young chemist1 ,lathrop1 proved to be a bright and active man of the new school1 though a good deal of a rubber stamp4 ,whenever it was compatible with science and art1 he readily assented to every proposition that his employer laid down4 ,kennedy had already telephoned to the ,winslows and ,miss ,winslow had answered that ,strong had returned from ,boston4 ,after a little parleying1 the second visit to the laboratory was arranged and ,miss ,winslow was allowed to be present with her father1 after ,kennedy had been assured by ,strong that the gruesome relics of the tragedy would be cleared away4 ,it was in the forenoon that we arrived with ,borland and ,lathrop4 ,i could not help noticing the cordial manner with which ,borland greeted ,miss ,winslow4 ,there was something obtrusive even in his sympathy4 ,strong1 whom we met now for the first time1 seemed rather suspicious of the presence of ,borland and his chemist1 but made an effort to talk freely without telling too much4 8,of course you know10 commenced ,strong after proper urging1 8that it has long been the desire of chemists to synthesise rubber by a method that will make possible its cheap production on a large scale4 ,in a general way ,i know what ,mr4 ,cushing had done1 but there are parts of the process which are covered in the patents applied for1 of which ,i am not at liberty to speak yet40 8,where are the papers in the case1 the documents showing the application for the patent1 for instance80 asked ,kennedy4 8,in the safe1 sir10 replied ,strong4 ,strong set to work on the combination which he had obtained from the safe deposit vault4 ,i could see that ,borland and ,miss ,winslow were talking in a low tone4 8,are you sure that it is a fact80 ,i overheard him ask1 though ,i had no idea what they were talking about4 8,as sure as ,i am that the ,borland ,rubber ,works are a fact10 she replied4 ,craig also seemed to have overheard1 for he turned quickly4 ,borland had taken out his penknife and was moistening the blade carefully preparing to cut into a piece of the synthetic rubber4 ,in spite of his expressed scepticism1 ,i could see that he was eager to learn what the product was really like4 ,strong1 meanwhile1 had opened the safe and was going over the papers4 ,a low exclamation from him brought us around the little pile of documents4 ,he was holding a will in which nearly everything belonging to ,cushing was left to ,miss ,winslow4 ,not a word was said1 although ,i noticed that ,kennedy moved quickly to her side1 fearing that the shock of the discovery might have a bad effect on her1 but she took it with remarkable calmness4 ,it was apparent that ,cushing had taken the step of his own accord and had said nothing to her about it4 8,what does anything amount to80 she said tremulously at last4 8,the dream is dead without him in it40 8,come10 urged ,kennedy gently4 8,this is enough for to-day40 ,an hour later we were speeding back to ,new ,york4 ,kennedy had no apparatus to work with out at ,goodyear and could not improvise it4 ,winslow agreed to keep us in touch with any new developments during the few hours that ,craig felt it was necessary to leave the scene of action4 ,back again in ,new ,york1 ,craig took a cab directly for his laboratory1 leaving me marooned with instructions not to bother him for several hours4 ,i employed the time in a little sleuthing on my own account1 endeavouring to look up the records of those involved in the case4 ,i did not discover much1 except an interview that had been given at the time of the return of his expedition by ,borland to the ,star1 in which he gave a graphic description of the dangers from disease that they had encountered4 ,i mention it because1 though it did not impress me much when ,i read it1 it at once leaped into my mind when the interminable hours were over and ,i rejoined ,kennedy4 ,he was bending over a new microscope4 8,this is a rubber age1 ,walter10 he began1 8and the stories of men who have been interested in rubber often sound like fiction40 ,he slipped a slide under the microscope1 looked at it and then motioned to me to do the same4 8,here is a very peculiar culture which ,i have found in some of that blood10 he commented4 8,the germs are much larger than bacteria and they can be seen with a comparatively low power microscope swiftly darting between the blood cells1 brushing them aside1 but not penetrating them as some parasites1 like that of malaria1 do4 ,besides1 spectroscope tests show the presence of a rather well-known chemical in that blood40 8,a poisoning1 then80 ,i ventured4 8,perhaps he suffered from the disease that many rubber workers get from the bisulphide of carbon4 ,he must have done a good deal of vulcanising of his own rubber1 you know40 8,no10 smiled ,craig enigmatically1 8it wasn't that4 ,it was an arsenic derivative4 ,here's another thing4 ,you remember the field glass ,i used80 ,he had picked it up from the table and was pointing at a little hole in the side1 that had escaped my notice before4 8,this is what you might call a right-angled camera4 ,i point the glass out of the window and while you think ,i am looking through it ,i am really focusing it on you and taking your picture standing there beside me and out of my apparent line of vision4 ,it would deceive the most wary40 ,just then a long-distance call from ,winslow told us that ,borland had been to call on ,miss ,ruth and1 in as kindly a way as could be1 had offered her half a million dollars for her rights in the new patent4 ,at once it flashed over me that he was trying to get control of and suppress the invention in the interests of his own company1 a thing that has been done hundreds of times4 ,or could it all have been part of a conspiracy8 ,and if it was his conspiracy1 would he succeed in tempting his friend1 ,miss ,winslow1 to fall in with this glittering offer8 ,kennedy evidently thought1 also1 that the time for action had come1 for without a word he set to work packing his apparatus and we were again headed for ,goodyear4 ,,xvi ,,the ,,blood ,,test ,we arrived late at night1 or rather in the morning1 but in spite of the late hour ,kennedy was up early urging me to help him carry the stuff over to ,cushing's laboratory4 ,by the middle of the morning he was ready and had me scouring about town collecting his audience1 which consisted of the ,winslows1 ,borland and ,lathrop1 ,dr4 ,howe1 ,dr4 ,harris1 ,strong and myself4 ,the laboratory was darkened and ,kennedy took his place beside an electric moving picture apparatus4 ,the first picture was different from anything any of us had ever seen on a screen before4 ,it seemed to be a mass of little dancing globules4 8,this10 explained ,kennedy1 8is what you would call an educational moving picture1 ,i suppose4 ,it shows normal blood corpuscles as they are in motion in the blood of a healthy man4 ,those little round cells are the red corpuscles and the larger irregular cells are the white corpuscles40 ,he stopped the film4 ,the next picture was a sort of enlarged and elongated house fly1 apparently1 of sombre grey color1 with a narrow body1 thick proboscis and wings that overlapped like the blades of a pair of shears4 8,this10 he went on1 8is a picture of the now well known tse-tse fly found over a large area of ,africa4 ,it has a bite something like a horse-fly and is a perfect blood-sucker4 ,vast territories of thickly populated1 fertile country near the shores of lakes and rivers are now depopulated as a result of the death-dealing bite of these flies1 more deadly than the blood-sucking1 vampirish ghosts with which1 in the middle ages1 people supposed night air to be inhabited4 ,for this fly carries with it germs which it leaves in the blood of its victims1 which ,i shall show next40 ,a new film started4 8,here is a picture of some blood so infected4 ,notice that worm-like sheath of undulating membrane terminating in a slender whip-like process by which it moves about4 ,that thing wriggling about like a minute electric eel1 always in motion1 is known as the trypanosome4 8,isn't this a marvellous picture8 ,to see the micro-organism move1 evolve and revolve in the midst of normal cells1 uncoil and undulate in the fluids which they inhabit1 to see them play hide and seek with the blood corpuscles and clumps of fibrin1 turn1 twist1 and rotate as if in a cage1 to see these deadly little trypanosomes moving back and forth in every direction displaying their delicate undulating membranes and shoving aside the blood cells that are in their way while by their side the leucocytes1 or white corpuscles1 lazily extend or retract their pseudopods of protoplasm4 ,to see all this as it is shown before us here is to realise that we are in the presence of an unknown world1 a world infinitesimally small1 but as real and as complex as that about us4 ,with the cinematograph and the ultra-microscope we can see what no other forms of photography can reproduce4 8,i have secured these pictures so that ,i can better mass up the evidence against a certain person in this room4 ,for in the blood of one of you is now going on the fight which you have here seen portrayed by the picture machine4 ,notice how the blood corpuscles in this infected blood have lost their smooth1 glossy appearance1 become granular and incapable of nourishing the tissues4 ,the trypanosomes are fighting with the normal blood cells4 ,here we have the lowest group of animal life1 the protozoa1 at work killing the highest1 man40 ,kennedy needed nothing more than the breathless stillness to convince him of the effectiveness of his method of presenting his case4 8,now10 he resumed1 8let us leave this blood-sucking1 vampirish tse-tse fly for the moment4 ,i have another revelation to make40 ,he laid down on the table under the lights1 which now flashed up again1 the little hollow silver cylinder4 8,this little instrument10 ,kennedy explained1 8which ,i have here is known as a canula1 a little canal1 for leading off blood from the veins of one person to another--in other words1 blood transfusion4 ,modern doctors are proving themselves quite successful in its use4 8,of course1 like everything1 it has its own peculiar dangers4 ,but the one point ,i wish to make is this3 ,in the selection of a donor for transfusion1 people fall into definite groups4 ,tests of blood must be made first to see whether it #8agglutinates1' and in this respect there are four classes of persons4 ,in our case this matter had to be neglected4 ,for1 gentlemen1 there were two kinds of blood on that laboratory floor1 and they do not agglutinate4 ,this1 in short1 was what actually happened4 ,an attempt was made to transfuse ,cushing's blood as donor to another person as recipient4 ,a man suffering from the disease caught from the bite of the tse-tse fly--the deadly sleeping sickness so well known in ,africa--has deliberately tried a form of robbery which ,i believe to be without parallel4 ,he has stolen the blood of another6 8,he stole it in a desperate attempt to stay an incurable disease4 ,this man had used an arsenic compound called atoxyl1 till his blood was filled with it and its effects on the trypanosomes nil4 ,there was but one wild experiment more to try--the stolen blood of another40 ,craig paused to let the horror of the crime sink into our minds4 8,some one in the party which went to look over the concession in the ,congo contracted the sleeping sickness from the bites of those blood-sucking flies4 ,that person has now reached the stage of insanity1 and his blood is full of the germs and overloaded with atoxyl4 8,everything had been tried and had failed4 ,he was doomed4 ,he saw his fortune menaced by the discovery of the way to make synthetic rubber4 ,life and money were at stake4 ,one night1 nerved up by a fit of insane fury1 with a power far beyond what one would expect in his ordinary weakened condition1 he saw a light in ,cushing's laboratory4 ,he stole in stealthily4 ,he seized the inventor with his momentarily superhuman strength and choked him4 ,as they struggled he must have shoved a sponge soaked with ether and orange essence under his nose4 ,cushing went under4 8,resistance overcome by the anesthetic1 he dragged the now insensible form to the work bench4 ,frantically he must have worked4 ,he made an incision and exposed the radial artery1 the pulse4 ,then he must have administered a local anesthetic to himself in his arm or leg4 ,he secured a vein and pushed the cut end over this little canula4 ,then he fitted the artery of ,cushing over that and the blood that was1 perhaps1 to save his life began flowing into his depleted veins4 8,who was this madman8 ,i have watched the actions of those whom ,i suspected when they did not know they were being watched4 ,i did it by using this neat little device which looks like a field glass1 but is really a camera that takes pictures of things at right angles to the direction in which the glass seems to be pointed4 ,one person1 ,i found1 had a wound on his leg1 the wrapping of which he adjusted nervously when he thought no one was looking4 ,he had difficulty in limping even a short distance to open a window40 ,kennedy uncorked a bottle and the subtle odor of oranges mingled with ether stole through the room4 8,some one here will recognize that odour immediately4 ,it is the new orange-essence vapour anesthetic1 a mixture of essence of orange with ether and chloroform4 ,the odour hidden by the orange which lingered in the laboratory1 ,mr4 ,winslow and ,mr4 ,strong1 was not isoprene1 but really ether4 8,i am letting some of the odour escape here because in this very laboratory it was that the thing took place1 and it is one of the well-known principles of psychology that odours are powerfully suggestive4 ,in this case the odour now must suggest the terrible scene of the other night to some one before me4 ,more than that1 ,i have to tell that person that the blood transfusion did not and could not save him4 ,his illness is due to a condition that is incurable and cannot be altered by transfusion of new blood4 ,that person is just as doomed to-day as he was before he committed--0 ,a figure was groping blindly about4 ,the arsenic compounds with which his blood was surcharged had brought on one of the attacks of blindness to which users of the drug are subject4 ,in his insane frenzy he was evidently reaching desperately for ,kennedy himself4 ,as he groped he limped painfully from the soreness of his wound4 8,dr4 ,harris10 accused ,kennedy1 avoiding the mad rush at himself1 and speaking in a tone that thrilled us1 8you are the man who sucked the blood of ,cushing into your own veins and left him to die4 ,but the state will never be able to exact from you the penalty of your crime4 ,nature will do that too soon for justice4 ,gentlemen1 this is the murderer of ,bradley ,cushing1 a maniac1 a modern scientific vampire40 ,i regarded the broken1 doomed man with mingled pity and loathing1 rather than with the usual feelings one has toward a criminal4 8,come10 said ,craig4 8,the local authorities can take care of this case now40 ,he paused just long enough for a word of comfort to the poor1 broken-hearted girl4 ,both ,winslows answered with a mute look of gratitude and despair4 ,in fact1 in the confusion we were only too glad to escape any more such mournful congratulations4 8,well10 ,craig remarked1 as we walked quickly down the street1 8if we have to wait here for a train1 ,i prefer to wait in the railroad station4 ,i have done my part4 ,now my only interest is to get away before they either offer me a banquet or lynch me40 ,actually1 ,i think he would have preferred the novelty of dealing with a lynching party1 if he had had to choose between the two4 ,we caught a train soon1 however1 and fortunately it had a diner attached4 ,kennedy whiled away the time between courses by reading the graft exposures in the city4 ,as we rolled into the station late in the afternoon1 he tossed aside the paper with an air of relief4 8,now for a quiet evening in the laboratory10 he exclaimed1 almost gleefully4 ,by what stretch of imagination he could call that recreation1 ,i could not see4 ,but as for quietness1 ,i needed it1 too4 ,i had fallen wofully behind in my record of the startling events through which he was conducting me4 ,consequently1 until late that night ,i pecked away at my typewriter trying to get order out of the chaos of my hastily scribbled notes4 ,under ordinary circumstances1 ,i remembered1 the morrow would have been my day of rest on the ,star4 ,i had gone far enough with ,kennedy to realise that on this assignment there was no such thing as rest4 8,district ,attorney ,carton wants to see me immediately at the ,criminal ,courts ,building1 ,walter10 announced ,kennedy1 early the following morning4 ,clothed1 and as much in my right mind as possible after the arduous literary labours of the night before1 ,i needed no urging1 for ,carton was an old friend of all the newspaper men4 ,i joined ,craig quickly in a hasty ride down-town in the rush hour4 ,on the table before the square-jawed1 close-cropped1 fighting prosecutor1 whom ,i knew already after many a long and hard-fought campaign both before and after election1 lay a little package which had evidently come to him in the morning's mail by parcel-post4 8,what do you suppose is in that1 ,kennedy80 he asked1 tapping it gingerly4 8,i haven't opened it yet1 but ,i think it's a bomb4 ,wait--,i'll have a pail of water sent in here so that you can open it1 if you will4 ,you understand such things40 8,no--no10 hastened ,kennedy1 8that's exactly the wrong thing to do4 ,some of these modern chemical bombs are set off in precisely that way4 ,no4 ,let me dissect the thing carefully4 ,i think you may be right4 ,it does look as if it might be an infernal machine4 ,you see the evident disguise of the roughly written address80 ,carton nodded1 for it was that that had excited his suspicion in the first place4 ,meanwhile1 ,kennedy1 without further ceremony1 began carefully to remove the wrapper of brown ,manila paper1 preserving everything as he did so4 ,carton and ,i instinctively backed away4 ,inside1 ,craig had disclosed an oblong wooden box4 8,i realise that opening a bomb is dangerous business10 he pursued slowly1 engrossed in his work and almost oblivious to us1 8but ,i think ,i can take a chance safely with this fellow4 ,the dangerous part is what might be called drawing the fangs4 ,no bombs are exactly safe toys to have around until they are wholly destroyed1 and before you can say you have destroyed one1 it is rather a ticklish business to take out the dangerous element40 ,he had removed the cover in the deftest manner without friction1 and seemingly without disturbing the contents in the least4 ,i do not pretend to know how he did it2 but the proof was that we could see him still working from our end of the room4 ,on the inside of the cover was roughly drawn a skull and cross-bones1 showing that the miscreant who sent the thing had at least a sort of grim humour4 ,for1 where the teeth should have been in the skull were innumerable match-heads4 ,kennedy picked them out with as much sang-froid as if he were not playing jackstraws with life and death4 ,then he removed the explosive itself and the various murderous slugs and bits of metal embedded in it1 carefully separating each as if to be labelled 8,exhibit ,a10 8,b10 and so on for a class in bomb dissection4 ,finally1 he studied the sides and bottom of the box4 8,evidence of chlorate-of-potash mixture10 ,kennedy muttered to himself1 still examining the bomb4 8,the inside was a veritable arsenal--a very unusual and clever construction40 8,my heavens60 breathed ,carton4 8,i would rather go through a campaign again40 ,,xvii ,,the ,,bomb ,,maker ,we stared at each other in blank awe1 at the various parts1 so innocent looking in the heaps on the table1 now safely separated1 but together a combination ticket to perdition4 8,who do you suppose could have sent it80 ,i blurted out when ,i found my voice1 then1 suddenly recollecting the political and legal fight that ,carton was engaged in at the time1 ,i added1 8,the white slavers80 8,not a doubt10 he returned laconically4 8,and10 he exclaimed1 bringing down both hands vigorously in characteristic emphasis on the arms of his office chair1 8,i've got to win this fight against the vice trust1 as ,i call it1 or the whole work of the district attorney's office in clearing up the city will be discredited--to say nothing of the risk the present incumbent runs at having such grateful friends about the city send marks of their affection and esteem like this40 ,i knew something already of the situation1 and ,carton continued thoughtfully3 8,all the powers of vice are fighting a last-ditch battle against me now4 ,i think ,i am on the trail of the man or men higher up in this commercialised-vice business--and it is a business1 big business1 too4 ,you know1 ,i suppose1 that they seem to have a string of hotels in the city1 of the worst character4 ,there is nothing that they will stop at to protect themselves4 ,why1 they are using gangs of thugs to terrorise any one who informs on them4 ,the gunmen1 of course1 hate a snitch worse than poison4 ,there have been bomb outrages1 too--nearly a bomb a day lately--against some of those who look shaky and seem to be likely to do business with my office4 ,but ,i'm getting closer all the time40 8,how do you mean80 asked ,kennedy4 8,well1 one of the best witnesses1 if ,i can break him down by pressure and promises1 ought to be a man named ,haddon1 who is running a place in the ,fifties1 known as the ,mayfair4 ,haddon knows all these people4 ,i can get him in half an hour if you think it worth while--not here1 but somewhere uptown1 say at the ,prince ,henry40 ,kennedy nodded4 ,we had heard of ,haddon before1 a notorious character in the white-light district4 ,a moment later ,carton had telephoned to the ,mayfair and had found ,haddon4 8,how did you get him so that he is even considering turning state's evidence80 asked ,craig4 8,well10 answered ,carton slowly1 8,i suppose it was partly through a cabaret singer and dancer1 ,loraine ,keith1 at the ,mayfair4 ,you know you never get the truth about things in the underworld except in pieces4 ,as much as any one1 ,i think we have been able to use her to weave a web about him4 ,besides1 she seems to think that ,haddon has treated her shamefully4 ,according to her story1 he seems to have been lavishing everything on her1 but lately1 for some reason1 has deserted her4 ,still1 even in her jealousy she does not accuse any other woman of winning him away40 8,perhaps it is the opposite--another man winning her10 suggested ,craig dryly4 8,it's a peculiar situation10 shrugged ,carton4 8,there is another man4 ,as nearly as ,i can make out there is a fellow named ,brodie who does a dance with her4 ,but he seems to annoy her1 yet at the same time exercises a sort of fascination over her40 8,then she is dancing at the ,mayfair yet80 hastily asked ,craig4 8,yes4 ,i told her to stay1 not to excite suspicion40 8,and ,haddon knows80 8,oh1 no4 ,but she has told us enough about him already so that we can worry him1 apparently1 just as what he can tell us would worry the others interested in the hotels4 ,to tell the truth1 ,i think she is a drug fiend4 ,why1 my men tell me that they have seen her take just a sniff of something and change instantly--become a willing tool40 8,that's the way it happens10 commented ,kennedy4 8,now1 ,i'll go up there and meet ,haddon10 resumed ,carton4 8,after ,i have been with him long enough to get into his confidence1 suppose you two just happen along40 ,half an hour later ,kennedy and ,i sauntered into the ,prince ,henry1 where ,carton had made the appointment in order to avoid suspicion that might arise if he were seen with ,haddon at the ,mayfair4 ,the two men were waiting for us--,haddon1 by contrast with ,carton1 a weak-faced1 nervous man1 with bulgy eyes4 8,mr4 ,haddon10 introduced ,carton1 8let me present a couple of reporters from the ,star--off duty1 so that we can talk freely before them1 ,i can assure you4 ,good fellows1 too1 ,haddon40 ,the hotel and cabaret keeper smiled a sickly smile and greeted us with a covert1 questioning glance4 8,this attack on ,mr4 ,carton has unnerved me10 he shivered4 8,if any one dares to do that to him1 what will they do to me80 8,don't get cold feet1 ,haddon10 urged ,carton4 8,you'll be all right4 ,i'll swing it for you40 ,haddon made no reply4 ,at length he remarked3 8,you'll excuse me for a moment4 ,i must telephone to my hotel40 ,he entered a booth in the shadow of the back of the cafe1 where there was a slot-machine pay-station4 8,i think ,haddon has his suspicions10 remarked ,carton1 8although he is too prudent to say anything yet40 ,a moment later he returned4 ,something seemed to have happened4 ,he looked less nervous4 ,his face was brighter and his eyes clearer4 ,what was it1 ,i wondered8 ,could it be that he was playing a game with ,carton and had given him a double cross8 ,i was quite surprised at his next remark4 8,carton10 he said confidently1 8,i'll stick40 8,good10 exclaimed the district attorney1 as they fell into a conversation in low tones4 8,by the way10 drawled ,kennedy1 8,i must telephone to the office in case they need me40 ,he had risen and entered the same booth4 ,haddon and ,carton were still talking earnestly4 ,it was evident that1 for some reason1 ,haddon had lost his former halting manner4 ,perhaps1 ,i reasoned1 the bomb episode had1 after all1 thrown a scare into him1 and he felt that he needed protection against his own associates1 who were quick to discover such dealings as ,carton had forced him into4 ,i rose and lounged back to the booth and ,kennedy4 8,whom did he call80 ,i whispered1 when ,craig emerged perspiring from the booth1 for ,i knew that that was his purpose4 ,craig glanced at ,haddon1 who now seemed absorbed in talking to ,carton4 8,no one10 he answered quickly4 8,central told me there had not been a call from this pay-station for half an hour40 8,no one80 ,i echoed almost incredulously4 8,then what did he do8 ,something happened1 all right40 ,kennedy was evidently engrossed in his own thoughts1 for he said nothing4 8,haddon says he wants to do some scouting about10 announced ,carton1 when we rejoined them4 8,there are several people whom he says he might suspect4 ,i've arranged to meet him this afternoon to get the first part of this story about the inside working of the vice trust1 and he will let me know if anything develops then4 ,you will be at your office80 8,yes1 one or the other of us10 returned ,craig1 in a tone which ,haddon could not hear4 ,in the meantime we took occasion to make some inquiries of our own about ,haddon and ,loraine ,keith4 ,they were evidently well known in the select circle in which they travelled4 ,haddon had many curious characteristics1 chief of which to interest ,kennedy was his speed mania4 ,time and again he had been arrested for exceeding the speed limit in taxicabs and in a car of his own1 often in the past with ,loraine ,keith1 but lately alone4 ,it was toward the close of the afternoon that ,carton called up hurriedly4 ,as ,kennedy hung up the receiver1 ,i read on his face that something had gone wrong4 8,haddon has disappeared10 he announced1 8mysteriously and suddenly1 without leaving so much as a clue4 ,it seems that he found in his office a package exactly like that which was sent to ,carton earlier in the day4 ,he didn't wait to say anything about it1 but left4 ,carton is bringing it over here40 ,perhaps a quarter of an hour later1 ,carton himself deposited the package on the laboratory table with an air of relief4 ,we looked eagerly4 ,it was addressed to ,haddon at the ,mayfair in the same disguised handwriting and was done up in precisely the same fashion4 8,lots of bombs are just scare bombs10 observed ,craig4 8,but you never can tell40 ,again ,kennedy had started to dissect4 8,ah10 he went on1 8this is the real thing1 though1 only a little different from the other4 ,a dry battery gives a spark when the lid is slipped back4 ,see1 the explosive is in a steel pipe4 ,sliding the lid off is supposed to explode it4 ,why1 there is enough explosive in this to have silenced a dozen ,haddons40 8,do you think he could have been kidnapped or murdered80 ,i asked4 8,what is this1 anyhow--gang-war80 8,or perhaps bribed80 suggested ,carton4 8,i can't say10 ruminated ,kennedy4 8,but ,i can say this3 that there is at large in this city a man of great mechanical skill and practical knowledge of electricity and explosives4 ,he is trying to make sure of hiding something from exposure4 ,we must find him40 8,and especially ,haddon10 ,carton added quickly4 8,he is the missing link4 ,his testimony is absolutely essential to the case ,i am building up40 8,i think ,i shall want to observe ,loraine ,keith without being observed10 planned ,kennedy1 with a hasty glance at his watch4 8,i think ,i'll drop around at this ,mayfair ,i have heard so much about4 ,will you come80 8,i'd better not10 refused ,carton4 8,you know they all know me1 and everything quits wherever ,i go4 ,i'll see you soon40 ,as we drove in a cab over to the ,mayfair1 ,kennedy said nothing4 ,i wondered how and where ,haddon had disappeared4 ,had the powers of evil in the city learned that he was weakening and hurried him out of the way at the last moment8 ,just what had ,loraine ,keith to do with it8 ,was she in any way responsible8 ,i felt that there were1 indeed1 no bounds to what a jealous woman might dare4 ,beside the ornate grilled doorway of the carriage entrance of the ,mayfair stood a gilt-and-black easel with the words1 8,tango ,tea at ,four40 ,although it was considerably after that time1 there was a line of taxi-cabs before the place and1 inside1 a brave array of late-afternoon and early-evening revellers4 ,the public dancing had ceased1 and a cabaret had taken its place4 ,we entered and sat down at one of the more inconspicuous of the little round tables4 ,on a stage1 at one side1 a girl was singing one of the latest syncopated airs4 8,we'll just stick around a while1 ,walter10 whispered ,craig4 8,perhaps this ,loraine ,keith will come in40 ,behind us1 protected both by the music and the rustle of people coming and going1 a couple talked in low tones4 ,now and then a word floated over to me in a language which was ,english1 sure enough1 but not of a kind that ,i could understand4 8,dropped by a flatty10 ,i caught once1 then something about a 8mouthpiece10 and the 8bulls10 and 8making a plant40 8,a dip--pickpocket--and his girl1 or gun-moll1 as they call them10 translated ,kennedy4 8,one of their number has evidently been picked up by a detective and he looks to them for a good lawyer1 or mouth-piece40 ,besides these two there were innumerable other interesting glimpses into the life of this meeting-place for the half-and underworlds4 ,a motion in the audience attracted me1 as if some favourite performer were about to appear1 and ,i heard the 8gun-moll0 whisper1 8,loraine ,keith40 ,there she was1 a petite1 dark-haired1 snappy-eyed girl1 chic1 well groomed1 and gowned so daringly that every woman in the audience envied and every man craned his neck to see her better4 ,loraine wore a tight-fitting black dress1 slashed to the knee4 ,in fact1 everything was calculated to set her off at best advantage1 and on the stage1 at least1 there was something recherche about her4 ,yet1 there was also something gross about her1 too4 ,accompanying her was a nervous-looking fellow whose washed-out face was particularly unattractive4 ,it seemed as if the bone in his nose was going1 due to the shrinkage of the blood-vessels4 ,once1 just before the dance began1 ,i saw him rub something on the back of his hand1 raise it to his nose1 and sniff4 ,then he took a sip of a liqueur4 ,the dance began1 wild from the first step1 and as it developed1 ,kennedy leaned over and whispered1 8,the danse des ,apaches40 ,it was acrobatic4 ,the man expressed brutish passion and jealousy2 the woman1 affection and fear4 ,it seemed to tell a story--the struggle of love1 the love of the woman against the brutal instincts of the thug1 her lover4 ,she was terrified as well as fascinated by him in his mad temper and tremendous superhuman strength4 ,i wondered if the dance portrayed the fact4 ,the music was a popular air with many rapid changes1 but through all there was a constant rhythm which accorded well with the abandon of the swaying dance4 ,indeed1 ,i could think of nothing so much as of ,bill ,sykes and ,nancy as ,i watched these two4 ,it was the fight of two frenzied young animals4 ,he would approach stealthily1 seize her1 and whirl her about1 lifting her to his shoulder4 ,she was agile1 docile1 and fearful4 ,he untied a scarf and passed it about her2 she leaned against it1 and they whirled giddily about4 ,suddenly1 it seemed that he became jealous4 ,she would run2 he follow and catch her4 ,she would try to pacify him2 he would become more enraged4 ,the dance became faster and more furious4 ,his violent efforts seemed to be to throw her to the floor1 and her streaming hair now made it seem more like a fight than a dance4 ,the audience hung breathless4 ,it ended with her dropping exhausted1 a proper finale to this lowest and most brutal dance4 ,panting1 flushed1 with an unnatural light in their eyes1 they descended to the audience and1 scorning the roar of applause to repeat the performance1 sat at a little table4 ,i saw a couple of girls come over toward the man4 8,give us a deck1 ,coke10 said one1 in a harsh voice4 ,he nodded4 ,a silver quarter gleamed momentarily from hand to hand1 and he passed to one girl stealthily a small white-paper packet4 ,others came to him1 both men and women4 ,it seemed to be an established thing4 8,who is that80 asked ,kennedy1 in a low tone1 of the pickpocket back of us4 8,coke ,brodie10 was the laconic reply4 8,a cocaine fiend80 8,yes1 and a lobbygow for the grapevine system of selling the dope under this new law40 8,where does he get the supply to sell80 asked ,kennedy1 casually4 ,the pickpocket shrugged his shoulders4 8,no one knows1 ,i suppose10 ,kennedy commented to me4 8,but he gets it in spite of the added restrictions and peddles it in little packets1 adulterated1 and at a fabulous price for such cheap stuff4 ,the habit is spreading like wildfire4 ,it is a fertile means of recruiting the inmates in the vice-trust hotels4 ,a veritable epidemic it is1 too4 ,cocaine is one of the most harmful of all habit-forming drugs4 ,it used to be a habit of the underworld1 but now it is creeping up1 and gradually and surely reaching the higher strata of society4 ,one thing that causes its spread is the ease with which it can be taken4 ,it requires no smoking-dens1 no syringe1 no paraphernalia--only the drug itself40 ,another singer had taken the place of the dancers4 ,kennedy leaned over and whispered to the dip4 8,say1 do you and your gun-moll want to pick up a piece of change to get that mouthpiece ,i heard you talking about80 ,the pickpocket looked at ,craig suspiciously4 8,oh1 don't worry2 ,i'm all right10 laughed ,craig4 8,you see that fellow1 ,coke ,brodie8 ,i want to get something on him4 ,if you will frame that sucker to get away with a whole front1 there's a fifty in it40 ,the dip looked1 rather than spoke1 his amazement4 ,apparently ,kennedy satisfied his suspicions4 8,i'm on10 he said quickly4 8,when he goes1 ,i'll follow him4 ,you keep behind us1 and we'll deliver the goods40 8,what's it all about80 ,i whispered4 8,why10 he answered1 8,i want to get ,brodie1 only ,i don't want to figure in the thing so that he will know me or suspect anything but a plain hold-up4 ,they will get him2 take everything he has4 ,there must be something on that man that will help us40 ,several performers had done their turns1 and the supply of the drug seemed to have been exhausted4 ,brodie rose and1 with a nod to ,loraine1 went out1 unsteadily1 now that the effect of the cocaine had worn off4 ,one wondered how this shuffling person could ever have carried through the wild dance4 ,it was not ,brodie who danced4 ,it was the drug4 ,the dip slipped out after him1 followed by the woman4 ,we rose and followed also4 ,across the city ,brodie slouched his way1 with an evident purpose1 it seemed1 of replenishing his supply and continuing his round of peddling the stuff4 ,he stopped under the brow of a thickly populated tenement row on the upper ,east ,side1 as though this was his destination4 ,there he stood at the gate that led down to a cellar1 looking up and down as if wondering whether he was observed4 ,we had slunk into a doorway4 ,a woman coming down the street1 swinging a chatelaine1 walked close to him1 spoke1 and for a moment they talked4 8,it's the gun-moll10 remarked ,kennedy4 8,she's getting ,brodie off his guard4 ,this must be the root of that grapevine system1 as they call it40 ,suddenly from the shadow of the next house a stealthy figure sprang out on ,brodie4 ,it was our dip1 a dip no longer but a regular stick-up man1 with a gun jammed into the face of his victim and a broad hand over his mouth4 ,skilfully the woman went through ,brodie's pockets1 her nimble fingers missing not a thing4 8,now--beat it10 we heard the dip whisper hoarsely1 8and if you raise a holler1 we'll get you right1 next time40 ,brodie fled as fast as his weakened nerves would permit his shaky limbs to move4 ,as he disappeared1 the dip sent something dark hurtling over the roof of the house across the street and hurried toward us4 8,what was that80 ,i asked4 8,i think it was the pistol on the end of a stout cord4 ,that is a favourite trick of the gunmen after a job4 ,it destroys at least a part of the evidence4 ,you can't throw a gun very far alone1 you know4 ,but with it at the end of a string you can lift it up over the roof of a tenement4 ,if ,brodie squeals to a copper and these people are caught1 they can't hold them under the pistol law1 anyhow40 ,the dip had caught sight of us1 with his ferret eyes in the doorway4 ,quickly ,kennedy passed over the money in return for the motley array of objects taken from ,brodie4 ,the dip and his gun-moll disappeared into the darkness as quickly as they had emerged4 ,there was a curious assortment--the paraphernalia of a drug fiend1 old letters1 a key1 and several other useless articles4 ,the pickpocket had retained the money from the sale of the dope as his own particular honorarium4 8,brodie has led us up to the source of his supply10 remarked ,kennedy1 thoughtfully regarding the stuff4 8,and the dip has given us the key to it4 ,are you game to go in80 ,a glance up and down the street showed it still deserted4 ,we wormed our way in the shadow to the cellar before which ,brodie had stood4 ,the outside door was open4 ,we entered1 and ,craig stealthily struck a match1 shading it in his hands4 ,at one end we were confronted by a little door of mystery1 barred with iron and held by an innocent enough looking padlock4 ,it was this lock1 evidently1 to which the key fitted1 opening the way into the subterranean vault of brick and stone4 ,kennedy opened it and pushed back the door4 ,there was a little square compartment1 dark as pitch and delightfully cool and damp4 ,he lighted a match1 then hastily blew it out and switched on an electric bulb which it disclosed4 8,can't afford risks like that here10 he exclaimed1 carefully disposing of the match1 as our eyes became accustomed to the light4 ,on every side were pieces of gas-pipe1 boxes1 and paper1 and on shelves were jars of various materials4 ,there was a work-table littered with tools1 pieces of wire1 boxes1 and scraps of metal4 8,my word60 exclaimed ,kennedy1 as he surveyed the curious scene before us1 8this is a regular bomb factory--one of the most amazing exhibits that the history of crime has ever produced40 ,,xviii ,,the 8,,coke0 ,,fiend ,i followed him in awe as he made a hasty inventory of what we had discovered4 ,there were as many as a dozen finished and partly finished infernal machines of various sizes and kinds1 some of tremendous destructive capacity4 ,kennedy did not even attempt to study them4 ,all about were high explosives1 chemicals1 dynamite4 ,there was gunpowder of all varieties1 antimony1 blasting-powder1 mercury cyanide1 chloral hydrate1 chlorate of potash1 samples of various kinds of shot1 some of the outlawed soft-nosed dumdum bullets1 cartridges1 shells1 pieces of metal purposely left with jagged edges1 platinum1 aluminum1 iron1 steel--a conglomerate mass of stuff that would have gladdened an anarchist4 ,kennedy was examining a little quartz-lined electric furnace1 which was evidently used for heating soldering irons and other tools4 ,everything had been done1 it seemed1 to prevent explosions4 ,there were no open lights and practically no chance for heat to be communicated far among the explosives4 ,indeed1 everything had been arranged to protect the operator himself in his diabolical work4 ,kennedy had switched on the electric furnace1 and from the various pieces of metal on the table selected several4 ,these he was placing together in a peculiar manner1 and to them he attached some copper wire which lay in a corner in a roll4 ,under the work-table1 beneath the furnace1 one could feel the warmth of the thing slightly4 ,quickly he took the curious affair1 which he had hastily shaped1 and fastened it under the table at that point1 then led the wires out through a little barred window to an air-shaft1 the only means of ventilation of the place except the door4 ,while he was working ,i had been gingerly inspecting the rest of the den4 ,in a corner1 just beside the door1 ,i had found a set of shelves and a cabinet4 ,on both were innumerable packets done up in white paper4 ,i opened one and found it contained several pinches of a white1 crystalline substance4 8,little portions of cocaine10 commented ,kennedy1 when ,i showed him what ,i had found4 8,in the slang of the fiends1 #8decks4'0 ,on the top of the cabinet he discovered a little enamelled box1 much like a snuff-box1 in which were also some of the white flakes4 ,quickly he emptied them out and replaced them with others from jars which had not been made up into packets4 8,why1 there must be hundreds of ounces of the stuff here1 to say nothing of the various things they adulterate it with10 remarked ,kennedy4 8,no wonder they are so careful when it is a felony even to have it in your possession in such quantities4 ,see how careful they are about the adulteration1 too4 ,you could never tell except from the effect whether it was the pure or only a few-per-cent4-pure article40 ,kennedy took a last look at the den1 to make sure that nothing had been disturbed that would arouse suspicion4 8,we may as well go10 he remarked4 8,to-morrow1 ,i want to be free to make the connection outside with that wire in the shaft40 ,imagine our surprise1 the next morning1 when a tap at our door revealed ,loraine ,keith herself4 8,is this ,professor ,kennedy80 she asked1 gazing at us with a half-wild expression which she was making a tremendous effort to control4 8,because if it is1 ,i have something to tell him that may interest ,mr4 ,carton40 ,we looked at her curiously4 ,without her make-up she was pallid and yellow in spots1 her hands trembling1 cold1 and sweaty1 her eyes sunken and glistening1 with pupils dilated1 her breathing short and hurried1 restless1 irresolute1 and careless of her personal appearance4 8,perhaps you wonder how ,i heard of you and why ,i have come to you10 she went on4 8,it is because ,i have a confession to make4 ,i saw ,mr4 ,haddon just before he was--kidnapped40 ,she seemed to hesitate over the word4 8,how did you know ,i was interested80 asked ,kennedy keenly4 8,i heard him mention your name with ,mr4 ,carton's40 8,then he knew that ,i was more than a reporter for the ,star10 remarked ,kennedy4 8,kidnapped1 you say8 ,how80 ,she shot a glance half of suspicion1 half of frankness1 at us4 8,that's what ,i must confess4 ,whoever did it must have used me as a tool4 ,mr4 ,haddon and ,i used to be good friends--,i would be yet40 ,there was evident feeling in her tone which she did not have to assume4 8,all ,i remember yesterday was that1 after lunch1 ,i was in the office of the ,mayfair when he came in4 ,on his desk was a package4 ,i don't know what has become of it4 ,but he gave one look at it1 seemed to turn pale1 then caught sight of me4 #8,loraine1' he whispered1 #8we used to be good friends4 ,forgive me for turning you down4 ,but you don't understand4 ,get me away from here--come with me--call a cab4' 8,well1 ,i got into the cab with him4 ,we had a chauffeur whom we used to have in the old days4 ,we drove furiously1 avoiding the traffic men4 ,he told the driver to take us to my apartment--and--and that is the last ,i remember1 except a scuffle in which ,i was dragged from the cab on one side and he on the other40 ,she had opened her handbag and taken from it a little snuff-box1 like that which we had seen in the den4 8,i--,i can't go on10 she apologised1 8without this stuff40 8,so you are a cocaine fiend1 also80 remarked ,kennedy4 8,yes1 ,i can't help it4 ,there is an indescribable excitement to do something great1 to make a mark1 that goes with it4 ,it's soon gone1 but while it lasts ,i can sing and dance1 do anything until every part of my body begins crying for it again4 ,i was full of the stuff when this happened yesterday2 had taken too much1 ,i guess40 ,the change in her after she had snuffed some of the crystals was magical4 ,from a quivering wretch she had become now a self-confident neurasthenic4 8,you know where that stuff will land you1 ,i presume80 questioned ,kennedy4 8,i don't care10 she laughed hollowly4 8,yes1 ,i know what you are going to tell me4 ,soon ,i'll be hunting for the cocaine bug1 as they call it1 imagining that in my skin1 under the flesh1 are worms crawling1 perhaps see them1 see the little animals running around and biting me4 ,oh1 you don't know4 ,there are two souls to the cocainist4 ,one is tortured by the suffering which the stuff brings2 the other laughs at the fears and pains4 ,but it brings such thoughts6 ,it stimulates my mind1 makes it work without1 against my will1 gives me such visions--oh1 ,i can not go on4 ,they would kill me if they knew ,i had come to you4 ,why have ,i8 ,has not ,haddon cast me off8 ,what is he to me1 now80 ,it was evident that she was growing hysterical4 ,i wondered whether1 after all1 the story of the kidnapping of ,haddon might not be a figment of her brain1 simply an hallucination due to the drug4 8,they80 inquired ,kennedy1 observing her narrowly4 8,who80 8,i can't tell4 ,i don't know4 ,why did ,i come8 ,why did ,i come80 ,she was reaching again for the snuff-box1 but ,kennedy restrained her4 8,miss ,keith10 he remarked1 8you are concealing something from me4 ,there is some one10 he paused a moment1 8whom you are shielding40 8,no1 no10 she cried4 8,he was taken4 ,brodie had nothing to do with it1 nothing4 ,that is what you mean4 ,i know4 ,this stuff increases my sensitiveness4 ,yet ,i hate ,coke ,brodie--oh--let me go4 ,i am all unstrung4 ,let me see a doctor4 ,to-night1 when ,i am better1 ,i will tell all40 ,loraine ,keith had torn herself from him1 had instantly taken a pinch of the fatal crystals1 with that same ominous change from fear to self-confidence4 ,what had been her purpose in coming at all8 ,it had seemed at first to implicate ,brodie1 but she had been quick to shield him when she saw that danger4 ,i wondered what the fascination might be which the wretch exercised over her4 8,to-night--,i will see you to-night10 she cried1 and a moment later she was gone1 as unexpectedly as she had come4 ,i looked at ,kennedy blankly4 8,what was the purpose of that outburst80 ,i asked4 8,i can't say10 he replied4 8,it was all so incoherent that1 from what ,i know of drug fiends1 ,i am sure she had a deep-laid purpose in it all4 ,it does not change my plans40 ,two hours later we had paid a deposit on an empty flat in the tenement-house in which the bomb-maker had his headquarters1 and had received a key to the apartment from the janitor4 ,after considerable difficulty1 owing to the narrowness of the air-shaft1 ,kennedy managed to pick up the loose ends of the wire which had been led out of the little window at the base of the shaft1 and had attached it to a couple of curious arrangements which he had brought with him4 ,one looked like a large taximeter from a motor cab2 the other was a diminutive gas-metre1 in looks at least4 ,attached to them were several bells and lights4 ,he had scarcely completed installing the thing1 whatever it was1 when a gentle tap at the door startled me4 ,kennedy nodded1 and ,i opened it4 ,it was ,carton4 8,i have had my men watching the ,mayfair10 he announced4 8,there seems to be a general feeling of alarm there1 now4 ,they can't even find ,loraine ,keith4 ,brodie1 apparently1 has not shown up in his usual haunts since the episode of last night40 8,i wonder if the long arm of this vice trust could have reached out and gathered them in1 too80 ,i asked4 8,quite likely10 replied ,carton1 absorbed in watching ,kennedy4 8,what's this80 ,a little bell had tinkled sharply1 and a light had flashed up on the attachments to the apparatus4 8,nothing4 ,i was just testing it to see if it works4 ,it does1 although the end which ,i installed down below was necessarily only a makeshift4 ,it is not this red light with the shrill bell that we are interested in4 ,it is the green light and the low-toned bell4 ,this is a thermopile40 8,and what is a thermopile80 queried ,carton4 8,for the sake of one who has forgotten his physics10 smiled ,kennedy1 8,i may say this is only another illustration of how all science ultimately finds practical application4 ,you probably have forgotten that when two half-rings of dissimilar metals are joined together and one is suddenly heated or chilled1 there is produced at the opposite connecting point a feeble current which will flow until the junctures are both at the same temperature4 ,you might call this a thermo-electric thermometer1 or a telethermometer1 or a microthermometer1 or any of a dozen names40 8,yes10 ,i agreed mechanically1 only vaguely guessing at what he had in mind4 8,the accurate measurement of temperature is still a problem of considerable difficulty10 he resumed1 adjusting the thermometer4 8,a heated mass can impart vibratory motion to the ether which fills space1 and the wave-motions of ether are able to reproduce in other bodies motions similar to those by which they are caused4 ,at this end of the line ,i merely measure the electromotive force developed by the difference in temperature of two similar thermo-electric junctions1 opposed4 ,we call those junctions in a thermopile #8couples1' and by getting the recording instruments sensitive enough1 we can measure one one-thousandth of a degree4 8,becquerel was the first1 ,i believe1 to use this property4 ,but the machine which you see here was one recently invented for registering the temperature of sea water so as to detect the approach of an iceberg4 ,i saw no reason why it should not be used to measure heat as well as cold4 8,you see1 down there ,i placed the couples of the thermopile beneath the electric furnace on the table4 ,here ,i have the mechanism1 operated by the feeble current from the thermopile1 opening and closing switches1 and actuating bells and lights4 ,then1 too1 ,i have the recording instrument4 ,the thing is fundamentally very simple and is based on well-known phenomena4 ,it is not uncertain and can be tested at any time1 just as ,i did then1 when ,i showed a slight fall in temperature4 ,of course it is not the slight changes ,i am after1 not the gradual but the sudden changes in temperature40 8,i see10 said ,carton4 8,if there is a drop1 the current goes one way and we see the red light2 a rise and it goes the other1 and we see a green light40 8,exactly10 agreed ,kennedy4 8,no one is going to approach that chamber down-stairs as long as he thinks any one is watching1 and we do not know where they are watching4 ,but the moment any sudden great change is registered1 such as turning on that electric furnace1 we shall know it here40 ,it must have been an hour that we sat there discussing the merits of the case and speculating on the strange actions of ,loraine ,keith4 ,suddenly the red light flashed out brilliantly4 8,what's that80 asked ,carton quickly4 8,i can't tell1 yet10 remarked ,kennedy4 8,perhaps it is nothing at all4 ,perhaps it is a draught of cold air from opening the door4 ,we shall have to wait and see40 ,we bent over the little machine1 straining our eyes and ears to catch the visual and audible signals which it gave4 ,gradually the light faded1 as the thermopile adjusted itself to the change in temperature4 ,suddenly1 without warning1 a low-toned bell rang before us and a bright-green light flashed up4 8,that can have only one meaning10 cried ,craig excitedly4 8,some one is down there in that inferno--perhaps the bomb-maker himself40 ,the bell continued to ring and the light to glow1 showing that whoever was there had actually started the electric furnace4 ,what was he preparing to do8 ,i felt that1 even though we knew there was some one there1 it did us little good4 ,i1 for one1 had no relish for the job of bearding such a lion in his den4 ,we looked at ,kennedy1 wondering what he would do next4 ,from the package in which he had brought the two registering machines he quietly took another package1 wrapped up1 about eighteen inches long and apparently very heavy4 ,as he did so he kept his attention fixed on the telethermometer4 ,was he going to wait until the bomb-maker had finished what he had come to accomplish8 ,it was perhaps fifteen minutes after our first alarm that the signals began to weaken4 8,does that mean that he has gone--escaped80 inquired ,carton anxiously4 8,no4 ,it means that his furnace is going at full power and that he has forgotten it4 ,it is what ,i am waiting for4 ,come on40 ,seizing the package as he hurried from the room1 ,kennedy dashed out on the street and down the outside cellar stairs1 followed by us4 ,he paused at the thick door and listened4 ,apparently there was not a sound from the other side1 except a whir of a motor and a roar which might have been from the furnace4 ,softly he tried the door4 ,it was locked on the inside4 ,was the bomb-maker there still8 ,he must be4 ,suppose he heard us4 ,would he hesitate a moment to send us all to perdition along with himself8 ,how were we to get past that door8 ,really1 the deathlike stillness on the other side was more mysterious than would have been the detonation of some of the criminal's explosive4 ,kennedy had evidently satisfied himself on one point4 ,if we were to get into that chamber we must do it ourselves1 and we must do it quickly4 ,from the package which he carried he pulled out a stubby little cylinder1 perhaps eighteen inches long1 very heavy1 with a short stump of a lever projecting from one side4 ,between the stonework of a chimney and the barred door he laid it horizontally1 jamming in some pieces of wood to wedge it tighter4 ,then he began to pump on the handle vigorously4 ,the almost impregnable door seemed slowly to bulge4 ,still there was no sign of life from within4 ,had the bomb-maker left before we arrived8 8,this is my scientific sledge-hammer10 panted ,kennedy1 as he worked the little lever backward and forward more quickly--8a hydraulic ram4 ,there is no swinging of axes or wielding of crowbars necessary in breaking down an obstruction like this1 nowadays4 ,such things are obsolete4 ,this little jimmy1 if you want to call it that1 has a power of ten tons4 ,that ought to be enough40 ,it seemed as if the door were slowly being crushed in before the irresistible ten-ton punch of the hydraulic ram4 ,kennedy stopped4 ,evidently he did not dare to crush the door in altogether4 ,quickly he released the ram and placed it vertically4 ,under the now-yawning door jamb he inserted a powerful claw of the ram and again he began to work the handle4 ,a moment later the powerful door buckled1 and ,kennedy deftly swung it outward so that it fell with a crash on the cellar floor4 ,as the noise reverberated1 there came a sound of a muttered curse from the cavern4 ,some one was there4 ,we pressed forward4 ,on the floor1 in the weird glare of the little furnace1 lay a man and a woman1 the light playing over their ghastly1 set features4 ,kennedy knelt over the man1 who was nearest the door4 8,call a doctor1 quick10 he ordered1 reaching over and feeling the pulse of the woman1 who had half fallen out of her chair4 8,they will1 be all right soon4 ,they took what they thought was their usual adulterated cocaine--see1 here is the box in which it was4 ,instead1 ,i filled the box with the pure drug4 ,they'll come around4 ,besides1 ,carton needs both of them in his fight40 8,don't take any more10 muttered the woman1 half conscious4 8,there's something wrong with it1 ,haddon40 ,i looked more closely at the face in the half-darkness4 ,it was ,haddon himself4 8,i knew he'd come back when the craving for the drug became intense enough10 remarked ,kennedy4 ,carton looked at ,kennedy in amazement4 ,haddon was the last person in the world whom he had evidently expected to discover here4 8,how--what do you mean80 8,the episode of the telephone booth gave me the first hint4 ,that is the favourite stunt of the drug fiend--a few minutes alone1 and he thinks no one is the wiser about his habit4 ,then1 too1 there was the story about his speed mania4 ,that is a frequent failing of the cocainist4 ,the drug1 too1 was killing his interest in ,loraine ,keith--that is the last stage4 8,yet under its influence1 just as with his lobbygow and lieutenant1 ,brodie1 he found power and inspiration4 ,with him it took the form of bombs to protect himself in his graft40 8,he can't--escape this time--,loraine4 ,we'll leave it--at his house--you know--,carton--0 ,we looked quickly at the work-table4 ,on it was a gigantic bomb of clockwork over which ,haddon had been working4 ,the cocaine which was to have given him inspiration had1 thanks to ,kennedy1 overcome him4 ,beside ,loraine ,keith were a suit-case and a ,gladstone4 ,she had evidently been stuffing the corners full of their favourite nepenthe1 for1 as ,kennedy reached down and turned over the closely packed woman's finery and the few articles belonging to ,haddon1 innumerable packets from the cabinet dropped out4 8,hulloa--what's this80 he exclaimed1 as he came to a huge roll of bills and a mass of silver and gold coin4 8,trying to double-cross us all the time4 ,that was her clever game--to give him the hours he needed to gather what money he could save and make a clean getaway4 ,even cocaine doesn't destroy the interest of men and women in that10 he concluded1 turning over to ,carton the wealth which ,haddon had amassed as one of the meanest grafters of the city of graft4 ,here was a case which ,i could not help letting the ,star have immediately4 ,notes or no notes1 it was local news of the first order4 ,besides1 anything that concerned ,carton was of the highest political significance4 ,it kept me late at the office and ,i overslept4 ,consequently ,i did not see much of ,craig the next morning1 especially as he told me he had nothing special1 having turned down a case of a robbery of a safe1 on the ground that the police were much better fitted to catch ordinary yeggmen than he was4 ,during the day1 therefore1 ,i helped in directing the following up of the ,haddon case for the ,star4 ,then1 suddenly1 a new front page story crowded this one of the main headlines4 ,with a sigh of relief1 ,i glanced at the new thriller1 found it had something to do with the ,navy ,department1 and that it came from as far away as ,washington4 ,there was no reason now why others could not carry on the graft story1 and ,i left1 not unwillingly4 ,my special work just now was keeping on the trail of ,kennedy1 and ,i was glad to go back to the apartment and wait for him4 8,i suppose you saw that despatch from ,washington in this afternoon's papers80 he queried1 as he came in1 tossing a late edition of the ,record down on my desk4 ,across the front page extended a huge black scare-head3 8,,navy',s ,,most ,,vital ,,secret ,,stolen40 8,yes10 ,i shrugged1 8but you can't get me much excited by what the rewrite men on the ,record say40 8,why80 he asked1 going directly into his own room4 8,well10 ,i replied1 glancing through the text of the story1 8the actual facts are practically the same as in the other papers4 ,take this1 for instance1 #8,on the night of the celebration of the anniversary of the battle of ,manila there were stolen from the ,navy ,department plans which the ,record learns exclusively represent the greatest naval secret in the world4' ,so much for that paragraph--written in the office4 ,then it goes on3 8,the whole secret-service machinery of the ,government has been put in operation4 ,no one has been able to extract from the authorities the exact secret which was stolen1 but it is believed to be an invention which will revolutionise the structure and construction of the most modern monster battleships4 ,such knowledge1 it is said1 in the hands of experts might prove fatal in almost any fight in which our newer ships met others of about equal fighting power1 as with it marksmen might direct a shot that would disable our ships4 8,it is the opinion of the experts that the theft was executed by a skilled draughtsman or other civilian employe4 ,at any rate1 the thief knew what to take and its value4 ,there is1 at least1 one nation1 it is asserted1 which faces the problem of bringing its ships up to the standard of our own to which the plans would be very valuable4 8,the building had been thrown open to the public for the display of fireworks on the ,monument grounds before it4 ,the plans are said to have been on one of the draughting-tables1 drawn upon linen to be made into blue-prints4 ,they are known to have been on the tables when the draughting-room was locked for the night4 8,the room is on the third floor of the ,department and has a balcony looking out on the ,monument4 ,many officers and officials had their families and friends on the balcony to witness the celebration1 though it is not known that any one was in the draughting-room itself4 ,all were admitted to the building on passes4 ,the plans were tacked to a draughting-board in the room1 but when it was opened in the morning the linen sheet was gone1 and so were the thumb-tacks4 ,the plans could readily have been rolled into a small bundle and carried under a coat or wrap4 8,while the authorities are trying to minimise the actual loss1 it is believed that this position is only an attempt to allay the great public concern40 ,i paused4 8,now then10 ,i added1 picking up one of the other papers ,i had brought up-town myself1 8take the ,express4 ,it says that the plans were important1 but would have been made public in a few months1 anyhow4 ,here3 8,the theft--or mislaying1 as the ,department hopes it will prove to be--took place several days ago4 ,official confirmation of the report is lacking1 but from trustworthy unofficial sources it is learned that only unimportant parts of plans are missing1 presumably minor structural details of battle-ship construction1 and other things of a really trivial character1 such as copies of naval regulations1 etc4 8,the attempt to make a sensational connection between the loss and a controversy which is now going on with a foreign government is greatly to be deplored and is emphatically asserted to be utterly baseless4 ,it bears traces of the jingoism of those #8interests' which are urging naval increases4 8,there is usually very little about a battle-ship that is not known before her keel is laid1 or even before the signing of the contracts4 ,at any rate1 when it is asserted that the plans represent the dernier cri in some form of war preparation1 it is well to remember that a #8last cry' is last only until there is a later4 ,naval secrets are few1 anyway1 and as it takes some years to apply them1 this loss cannot be of superlative value to any one4 ,still1 there is1 of course1 a market for such information in spite of the progress toward disarmament1 but the rule in this case will be the rule as in a horse trade1 #8,caveat emptor4'0 8,so there you are10 ,i concluded4 8,you pay your penny for a paper1 and you take your choice40 8,and the ,star10 inquired ,kennedy1 coming to the door and adding with an aggravating grin1 8the infallible80 8,the ,star10 ,i replied1 unruffled1 8hits the point squarely when it says that whether the plans were of immediate importance or not1 the real point is that if they could be stolen1 really important things could be taken also4 ,for instance1 #8,the thought of what the thief might have stolen has caused much more alarm than the knowledge of what he has succeeded in taking4' ,i think it is about time those people in ,washington stopped the leak if--0 ,the telephone rang insistently4 8,i think that's for me10 exclaimed ,craig1 bounding out of his room and forgetting his quiz of me4 8,hello--yes--is that you1 ,burke8 ,at the ,grand ,central--half an hour--all right4 ,i'm bringing ,jameson4 ,good-bye40 ,kennedy jammed down the receiver on the hook4 ,,xix ,,the ,,submarine ,,mystery 8,the ,star was not far from right1 ,walter10 he added1 seriously4 8,if the battleship plans could be stolen1 other things could be--other things were4 ,you remember ,burke of the secret service8 ,i'm going up to ,lookout ,hill on the ,connecticut shore of the ,sound with him to-night4 ,the rewrite men on the ,record didn't have the facts1 but they had accurate imaginations4 ,the most vital secret that any navy ever had1 that would have enabled us in a couple of years to whip the navies of the world combined against us1 has been stolen40 8,and that is80 ,i asked4 8,the practical working-out of the newest of sciences1 the science of telautomatics40 8,telautomatics80 ,i repeated4 8,yes4 ,there is something weird1 fascinating about the very idea4 ,i sit up here safely in this room1 turning switches1 pressing buttons1 depressing levers4 ,ten miles away a vehicle1 a ship1 an aeroplane1 a submarine obeys me4 ,it may carry enough of the latest and most powerful explosive that modern science can invent1 enough1 if exploded1 to rival the worst of earthquakes4 ,yet it obeys my will4 ,it goes where ,i direct it4 ,it explodes where ,i want it4 ,and it wipes off the face of the earth anything which ,i want annihilated4 8,that's telautomatics1 and that is what has been stolen from our navy and dimly sensed by you clever newspaper men1 from whom even the secret service can't quite hide everything4 ,the publication of the rumour alone that the government knows it has lost something has put the secret service in a hole4 ,what might have been done quietly and in a few days has got to be done in the glare of the limelight and with the blare of a brass band--and it has got to be done right away1 too4 ,come on1 ,walter4 ,i've thrown together all we shall need for one night--and it doesn't include any pajamas1 either40 ,a few minutes later we met our friend ,burke of the secret service at the new terminal4 ,he had wired ,kennedy earlier in the day saying that he would be in ,new ,york and would call him up4 8,the plans1 as ,i told you in my message10 began ,burke1 when we had seated ourselves in a compartment of the ,pullman1 8were those of ,captain ,shirley1 covering the wireless-controlled submarine4 ,the old captain is a thoroughbred1 too4 ,i've known him in ,washington4 ,comes of an old ,new ,england1 family with plenty of money but more brains4 ,for years he has been working on this science of radio-telautomatics1 has all kinds of patents1 which he has dedicated to the ,united ,states1 too4 ,of course the basic1 pioneer patents are not his4 ,his work has been in the practical application of them4 ,and1 ,kennedy1 there are some secrets about his latest work that he has not patented2 he has given them outright to the ,navy ,department1 because they are too valuable even to patent40 ,burke1 who liked a good detective tale himself1 seemed pleased at holding ,kennedy spellbound4 8,for instance10 he went on1 8he has on the bay up here a submarine which can be made into a crewless dirigible4 ,he calls it the ,turtle1 ,i believe1 because that was the name of the first ,american submarine built by ,dr4 ,bushnell during the ,revolution1 even before ,fulton40 8,you have theories of your own on the case80 asked ,craig4 8,well1 there are several possibilities4 ,you know there are submarine companies in this country1 bitter rivals4 ,they might like to have those plans4 ,then1 too1 there are foreign governments40 ,he paused4 ,though he said nothing1 ,i felt that there was no doubt what he hinted at4 ,at least one government occurred to me which would like the plans above all others4 8,once some plans of a submarine were stolen1 ,i recall10 ruminated ,kennedy4 8,but that theft1 ,i am satisfied1 was committed in behalf of a rival company40 8,but1 ,kennedy10 exclaimed ,burke1 8it was bad enough when the plans were stolen4 ,now ,captain ,shirley wires me that some one must have tampered with his model4 ,it doesn't work right4 ,he even believes that his own life may be threatened4 ,and there is scarcely a real clue10 he added dejectedly4 8,of course we are watching all the employes who had access to the draughting-room and tracing everybody who was in the building that night4 ,i have a complete list of them4 ,there are three or four who will bear watching4 ,for instance1 there is a young attache of one of the embassies1 named ,nordheim40 8,nordheim60 ,i echoed1 involuntarily4 ,i had expected an ,oriental name4 8,yes1 a ,german4 ,i have been looking up his record1 and ,i find that once he was connected in some way with the famous ,titan ,iron ,works1 at ,kiel1 ,germany4 ,we began watching him day before yesterday1 but suddenly he disappeared4 ,then1 there is a society woman in ,washington1 a ,mrs4 ,bayard ,brainard1 who was at the ,department that night4 ,we have been trying to find her4 ,to-day ,i got word that she was summering in the cottage colony across the bay from ,lookout ,hill4 ,at any rate1 ,i had to go up there to see the captain1 and ,i thought ,i'd kill a whole flock of birds with one stone4 ,the chief thought1 too1 that if you'd take the case with us you had best start on it up there4 ,next1 you will no doubt want to go back to ,washington with me40 ,lookout ,hill was the name of the famous old estate of the ,shirleys1 on a point of land jutting out into ,long ,island ,sound and with a neighbouring point enclosing a large1 deep1 safe harbour4 ,on the highest ground of the estate1 with a perfect view of both harbour and sound1 stood a large stone house1 the home of ,captain ,shirley1 of the ,united ,states navy1 retired4 ,captain ,shirley1 a man of sixty-two or three1 bronzed and wiry1 met us eagerly4 8,so this is ,professor ,kennedy2 ,i'm glad to meet you1 sir10 he welcomed1 clasping ,craig's hand in both of his--a fine figure as he stood erect in the light of the portecochere4 8,what's the news from ,washington1 ,burke8 ,any clues80 8,i can hardly tell10 replied the secret service man1 with assumed cheerfulness4 8,by the way1 you'll have to excuse me for a few minutes while ,i run back into town on a little errand4 ,meanwhile1 ,captain1 will you explain to ,professor ,kennedy just how things are8 ,perhaps he'd better begin by seeing the ,turtle herself40 ,burke had not waited longer than to take leave4 8,the ,turtle10 repeated the captain1 leading the way into the house4 8,well1 ,i did call it that at first4 ,but ,i prefer to call it the ,z#ii4 ,you know the first submarines1 abroad at least1 were sometimes called ,al1 ,a#b1 ,a#c1 and so on4 ,they were of the diving1 plunging type1 that is1 they submerged on an inclined keel1 nose down1 like the ,hollands4 ,then came the ,b type1 in which the hydroplane appeared2 the ,c type1 in which it was more prominent1 and a ,d type1 where submergence is on a perfectly even keel1 somewhat like our ,lakes4 ,well1 this boat of mine is a last word--the ,z#ii4 ,call it the ,turtle1 if you like40 ,we were standing for a moment in a wide ,colonial hall in which a fire was crackling in a huge brick fireplace1 taking the chill off the night air4 8,let me give you a demonstration1 first10 added the captain4 8,perhaps ,z#ii will work--perhaps not40 ,there was an air of disappointment about the old veteran as he spoke1 uncertainly now1 of what a short time ago he had known to be a certainty and one of the greatest it had ever been given the inventive mind of man to know4 ,a slip of a girl entered from the library1 saw us1 paused1 and was about to turn back4 ,silhouetted against the curtained door1 there was health1 animation1 gracefulness1 in every line of her wavy chestnut hair1 her soft1 sparkling brown eyes1 her white dress and hat to match1 which contrasted with the healthy glow of tan on her full neck and arms1 and her dainty little white shoes1 ready for anything from tennis to tango4 8,my daughter ,gladys1 ,professor ,kennedy and ,mr4 ,jameson10 introduced the captain4 8,we are going to try the ,z#ii again1 ,gladys40 ,a moment later we four were walking to the edge of the cliff where ,captain ,shirley had a sort of workshop and signal-station4 ,he lighted the gas1 for ,lookout ,hill was only on the edge of the town and boasted gas1 electricity1 and all modern improvements1 as well as the atmosphere of old ,new ,england4 8,the ,z#ii is moored just below us at my private dock10 began the captain4 8,i have a shed down there where we usually keep her1 but ,i expected you1 and she is waiting1 thoroughly overhauled4 ,i have signalled to my men--fellows ,i can trust1 too1 who used to be with me in the navy--to cast her off4 ,there--now we are ready40 ,the captain turned a switch4 ,instantly a couple of hundred feet below us1 on the dark and rippling water1 a light broke forth4 ,another signal1 and the light changed4 ,it was moving4 8,the principle of the thing10 said ,captain ,shirley1 talking to us but watching the moving light intently1 8briefly1 is that ,i use the ,hertzian waves to actuate relays on the ,z#ii4 ,that is1 ,i send a child with a message1 the grown man1 through the relay1 so to speak1 does the work4 ,so1 you see1 ,i can sit up here and send my little ,david out anywhere to strike down a huge ,goliath4 8,i won't bore you1 yet1 with explanations of my radio-combinator1 the telecommutator1 the aerial coherer relay1 and the rest of the technicalities of wireless control of dirigible1 self-propelled vessels4 ,they are well known1 beginning with pioneers like ,wilson and ,gardner in ,england1 ,roberts in ,australia1 ,wirth and ,lirpa in ,germany1 ,gabet in ,france1 and ,tesla1 ,edison1 ,sims1 and the younger ,hammond in our own country4 8,the one thing1 you may not know1 that has kept us back while wireless telegraphy has gone ahead so fast is that in wireless we have been able to discard coherers and relays and use detectors and microphones in their places4 ,but in telautomatics we have to keep the coherer4 ,that has been the barrier4 ,the coherer until recently has been spasmodic1 until we had ,hammond's mercury steel-disc coherer and now my own4 ,why10 he cried1 8we are just on the threshold1 now1 of this great science which ,tesla has named telautomatics--the electric arm that we can stretch out through space to do our work and fight our battles40 ,it was not difficult to feel the enthusiasm of the captain over an invention of such momentous possibilities1 especially as the ,z#ii was well out in the harbour now and we could see her flashing her red and green signal-lights back to us4 8,you see10 the captain resumed1 8,i have twelve numbers here on the keys of this radio-combinator--forward1 back1 stop propeller motor1 rudder right1 rudder left1 stop steering motor1 light signals front1 light signals rear1 launch torpedoes1 and so on4 ,the idea is that of a delayed contact4 ,the machinery is always ready1 but it delays a few seconds until the right impulse is given1 a purely mechanical problem4 ,i take advantage of the delay to have the message repeated by a signal back to me4 ,i can even change it1 then4 ,you can see for yourself that it really takes no experience to run the thing when all is going right4 ,gladys has done it frequently herself4 ,all you have to do is to pay attention1 and press the right key for the necessary change4 ,it is when things go wrong that even an expert like myself--confound it--there's something wrong60 ,the ,z#ii had suddenly swerved4 ,captain ,shirley's brow knitted4 ,we gathered around closer1 ,gladys next to her father and leaning anxiously over the transmitting apparatus4 8,i wanted to turn her to port yet she goes to starboard1 and signals starboard1 too4 ,there--now--she has stopped altogether4 ,what do you think of that80 ,gladys stroked the old seafarer's hand gently1 as he sat silently at the table1 peering with contracted brows out into the now brilliantly moonlit night4 ,shirley looked up at his daughter1 and the lines on his face relaxed as though he would hide his disappointment from her eager eyes4 8,confound that light6 ,what's the matter with it80 he exclaimed1 changing the subject1 and glancing up at the gas-fixture4 ,kennedy had already been intently looking at the ,welsbach burner overhead1 which had been flickering incessantly4 8,that gas company60 added the ,captain1 shaking his head in disgust1 and showing annoyance over a trivial thing to hide deep concern over a greater1 as some men do4 8,i shall use the electricity altogether after this contract with the company expires4 ,i suppose you literary men1 ,mr4 ,jameson1 would call that the light that failed40 ,there was a forced air about his attempt to be facetious that did not conceal1 but rather accentuated1 the undercurrent of feelings in him4 8,on the contrary10 broke in ,kennedy1 8,i shouldn't be surprised to find that it is the light that succeeded40 8,how do you mean80 8,i wouldn't have said anything about it if you hadn't noticed it yourself4 ,in fact1 ,i may be wrong4 ,it suggests something to me1 but it will need a good deal of work to verify it1 and then it may not be of any significance4 ,is that the way the ,z#ii has behaved always lately80 8,yes1 but ,i know that she hasn't broken down of herself10 ,captain ,shirley asserted4 8,it never did before1 not since ,i perfected that new coherer4 ,and now it always does1 perhaps fifteen or twenty minutes after ,i start her out40 ,shirley was watching the lights as they serpentined their way to us across the nearly calm water of the bay1 idly toying with the now useless combinator4 8,wait here10 he said1 rising hurriedly4 8,i must send my motor-boat out there to pick her up and tow her in40 ,he was gone down the flight of rustic steps on the face of the cliff before we could reply4 8,i wish father wouldn't take it to heart so10 murmured ,gladys4 8,sometimes ,i fear that success or failure of this boat means life or death to him40 8,that is exactly why we are here10 reassured ,kennedy1 turning earnestly to her1 8to help him to settle this thing at once4 ,this is a beautiful spot10 he added1 as we stood on the edge of the cliff and looked far out over the tossing waves of the sound4 8,what is on that other point80 asked ,kennedy1 turning again toward the harbour itself4 8,there is a large cottage colony there10 she replied4 8,of course many of the houses are still closed so early in the season1 but it is a beautiful place in the summer4 ,the hotel over there is open now1 though40 8,you must have a lively time when the season is at its height10 ventured ,kennedy4 8,do you know a cottager there1 a ,mrs4 ,brainard80 8,oh1 yes1 indeed4 ,i have known her in ,washington for some time40 8,no doubt the cottagers envy you your isolation here10 remarked ,kennedy1 turning and surveying the beautifully kept grounds4 8,i should think it would be pleasant1 too1 to have an old ,washington friend here40 8,it is4 ,we often invite our friends over for lawn-parties and other little entertainments4 ,mrs4 ,brainard has just arrived and has only had time to return my first visit to her1 but ,i expect we shall have some good times this summer40 ,it was evident1 at least1 that ,gladys was not concealing anything about her friend1 whether there was any suspicion or not of her4 ,we had gone into the house to await the return of ,captain ,shirley4 ,burke had just returned1 his face betraying that he was bursting with news4 8,she's here1 all right10 he remarked in an undertone to ,kennedy1 8in the ,stamford cottage--quite an outfit4 ,french chauffeur1 two ,japanese servants1 maids1 and all40 8,the ,stamford cottage80 repeated ,gladys4 8,why1 that is where ,mrs4 ,brainard lives40 ,she gave a startled glance at ,kennedy1 as she suddenly seemed to realise that both he and the secret-service man had spoken about her friend4 8,yes10 said ,burke1 noting on the instant the perfect innocence of her concern4 8,what do you know about ,mrs4 ,brainard8 ,who1 where is1 ,mr4 ,brainard80 8,dead1 ,i believe10 ,gladys hesitated4 8,mrs4 ,brainard has been well known in ,washington circles for years4 ,indeed1 ,i invited her with us the night of the ,manila display40 8,and ,mr4 ,nordheim80 broke in ,burke4 8,n-no10 she hesitated4 8,he was there1 but ,i don't know as whose guest40 8,did he seem very friendly with4 ,mrs4 ,brainard80 pursued the detective4 ,i thought ,i saw a shade of relief pass over her face as she answered1 8,yes40 ,i could only interpret it that perhaps ,nordheim had been attentive to ,gladys herself and that she had not welcomed his attentions4 8,i may as well tell you10 she said1 at length4 8,it is no secret in our set1 and ,i suppose you would find it out soon1 anyhow4 ,it is said that he is engaged to ,mrs4 ,brainard--that is all40 8,engaged80 repeated ,burke4 8,then that would account for his being at the hotel here4 ,at least1 it would offer an excuse40 ,gladys was not slow to note the stress that ,burke laid on the last word4 8,oh1 impossible10 she began hurriedly1 8impossible that he could have known anything about this other matter4 ,why1 she told me he was to sail suddenly for ,germany and came up here for a last visit before he went1 and to arrange to come back on his return4 ,oh1 he could know nothing--impossible40 8,why impossible80 persisted ,burke4 8,they have submarines in ,germany1 don't they8 ,and rival companies1 too40 8,who have rival companies80 inquired a familiar voice4 ,it was ,captain ,shirley1 who had returned out of breath from his long climb up the steps from the shore4 8,the ,germans4 ,i was speaking of an attache named ,nordheim40 8,who is ,nordheim80 inquired the captain4 8,you met him at the ,naval building1 that night1 don't you remember80 replied ,gladys4 8,oh1 yes1 ,i believe ,i do--dimly4 ,he was the man who seemed so devoted to ,mrs4 ,brainard40 8,i think he is1 too1 father10 she replied hastily4 8,he has been suddenly called to ,berlin and planned to spend the last few days here1 at the hotel1 so as to be near her4 ,she told me that he had been ordered back to ,washington again before he sailed and had had to cut his visit short40 8,when did you first notice the interference with the ,turtle80 asked ,burke4 8,i received your message this morning40 8,yesterday morning was the first10 replied the captain4 8,he arrived the night before and did not leave until yesterday afternoon10 remarked ,burke4 8,and we arrived to-night10 put in ,craig quietly4 8,the interference is going on yet40 8,then the ,japs10 ,i cut in1 at last giving voice to the suspicion ,i had of the clever little ,orientals4 8,they could not have stolen the plans10 asserted ,burke1 shaking his head4 8,no1 ,nordheim and ,mrs4 ,brainard were the only ones who could have got into the draughting room the night of the ,manila celebration40 8,burke10 said ,kennedy1 rising1 8,i wish you would take me into town4 ,there are a few messages ,i would like to send4 ,you will excuse us1 ,captain1 for a few hours8 ,good evening1 ,miss ,shirley40 ,as he bowed ,i heard ,kennedy add to her3 8,don't worry about your father4 ,everything will come out all right soon40 ,outside1 in the car which ,burke had hired1 ,craig added3 8,not to town4 ,that was an excuse not to alarm ,miss ,shirley too much over her friend4 ,take us over past the ,stamford cottage1 first40 ,the ,stamford cottage was on the beach1 between the shore front and the road4 ,it was not a new place but was built in the hideous style of some thirty years ago with all sorts of little turned and knobby ornaments4 ,we paused down the road a bit1 though not long enough to attract attention4 ,there were lights on every floor of the cottage1 although most of the neighbouring cottages were dark4 8,well protected by lightning-rods10 remarked ,kennedy1 as he looked the ,stamford cottage over narrowly4 8,we might as well drive on4 ,keep an eye on the hotel1 ,burke4 ,it may be that ,nordheim intends to return1 after all40 8,assuming that he has left10 returned the secret-service man4 8,but you said he had left10 said ,kennedy4 8,what do you mean80 8,i hardly know myself10 wearily remarked ,burke1 on whom the strain of the case1 to which we were still fresh1 had begun to tell4 8,i only know that ,i called up ,washington after ,i heard he had been at the hotel1 and no one at our headquarters knew that he had returned4 ,they may have fallen down1 but they were to watch both his rooms and the embassy40 8,h-m10 mused ,kennedy4 8,why didn't you say that before80 8,why1 ,i assumed that he had gone back1 until you told me there was interference to-night1 too4 ,now1 until ,i can locate him definitely ,i'm all at sea--that's all40 ,it was now getting late in the evening1 but ,kennedy had evidently no intention of returning yet to ,lookout ,hill4 ,we paused at the hotel1 which was in the centre of the cottage colony1 and flanked by a hill that ran back of the colony diagonally and from which a view of both the hotel and the cottages could be obtained4 ,burke's inquiries developed the fact that ,nordheim had left very hurriedly and in some agitation4 8,to tell you the truth10 confided the clerk1 with whom ,burke had ingratiated himself1 8,i thought he acted like a man who was watched40 ,late as it was1 ,kennedy insisted on motoring to the railroad station and catching the last train to ,new ,york4 ,as there seemed to be nothing that ,i could do at ,lookout ,hill1 ,i accompanied him on the long and tedious ride1 which brought us back to the city in the early hours of the morning4 ,we stopped just long enough to run up to the laboratory and to secure a couple of little instruments which looked very much like small incandescent lamps in a box4 ,then1 by the earliest train from ,new ,york1 we returned to ,lookout ,hill1 with only such sleep as ,kennedy had predicted1 snatched in the day coaches of the trains and during a brief wait in the station4 ,a half-hour's freshening up with a dip in the biting cold water of the bay1 breakfast with ,captain ,shirley and ,miss ,gladys1 and a return to the excitement of the case1 had to serve in place of rest4 ,burke disappeared1 after a hasty conference with ,kennedy1 presumably to watch ,mrs4 ,brainard1 the hotel1 and the ,stamford cottage to see who went in and out4 8,i've had the ,z#ii brought out of its shed10 remarked the captain1 as we rose from the breakfast-table4 8,there was nothing wrong as far as ,i could discover last night or by a more careful inspection this morning4 ,i'd like to have you take a look at her now1 in the daylight40 8,i was about to suggest10 remarked ,kennedy1 as we descended the steps to the shore1 8that perhaps1 first1 it might be well to take a short run in her with the crew1 just to make sure that there is nothing wrong with the machinery40 8,a good idea10 agreed the captain4 ,we came to the submarine1 lying alongside the dock and looking like a huge cigar4 ,the captain preceded us down the narrow hatchway1 and ,i followed ,craig4 ,the deck was cleared1 the hatch closed1 and the vessel sealed4 ,,xx ,,the ,,wireless ,,detector ,remembering ,jules ,verne's enticing picture of life on the palatial ,nautilus1 ,i may as well admit that ,i was not prepared for a real submarine4 ,my first impression1 as ,i entered the hold1 was that of discomfort and suffocation4 ,i felt1 too1 that ,i was too close to too much whirring machinery4 ,i gazed about curiously4 ,on all sides were electrical devices and machines to operate the craft and the torpedoes4 ,i thought1 also1 that the water outside was uncomfortably close2 one could almost feel it4 ,the ,z#ii was low roofed1 damp1 with an intricate system of rods1 controls1 engines1 tanks1 stop-cocks1 compasses1 gauges--more things than it seemed the human mind1 to say nothing of wireless1 could possibly attend to at once4 8,the policy of secrecy which governments keep in regard to submarines10 remarked the captain1 running his eye over everything at once1 it seemed1 8has led them to be looked upon as something mysterious4 ,but whatever you may think of telautomatics1 there is really no mystery about an ordinary submarine40 ,i did not agree with our 8,captain ,nemo10 as1 the examination completed1 he threw in a switch4 ,the motor started4 ,the ,z#ii hummed and trembled4 ,the fumes of gasoline were almost suffocating at first1 in spite of the prompt ventilation to clear them off4 ,there was no escape from the smell4 ,i had heard of 8gasoline heart10 but the odour only made me sick and dizzy4 ,like most novices1 ,i suppose1 ,i was suffering excruciating torture4 ,not so1 ,kennedy4 ,he got used to it in no time2 indeed1 seemed to enjoy the very discomfort4 ,i felt that there was only one thing necessary to add to it1 and that was the odour of cooking4 ,cooking1 by the way1 on a submarine is uncertain and disagreeable4 ,there was a little electric heater1 ,i found1 which might possibly have heated enough water for one cup of coffee at a time4 ,in fact1 space was economised to the utmost4 ,only the necessaries of life were there4 ,every inch that could be spared was given over to machinery4 ,it was everywhere1 compact1 efficient--everything for running the boat under water1 guiding it above and below1 controlling its submersion1 compressing air1 firing torpedoes1 and a thousand other things4 ,it was wonderful as it was4 ,but when one reflected that all could be done automatically1 or rather telautomatically1 it was simply astounding4 8,you see10 observed ,captain ,shirley1 8when she is working automatically neither the periscope nor the wireless-mast shows4 ,the wireless impulses are carried down to her from an inconspicuous float which trails along the surface and carries a short aerial with a wire running down1 like a mast1 forming practically invisible antennae40 ,as he was talking the boat was being 8trimmed0 by admitting water as ballast into the proper tanks4 8,the ,z#ii10 he went on1 8is a submersible1 not a diving1 submarine4 ,that is to say1 the rudder guides it and changes the angle of the boat4 ,but the hydroplanes pull it up and down1 two pairs of them set fore and aft of the centre of gravity4 ,they lift or lower the boat bodily on an even keel1 not by plunging and diving4 ,i will now set the hydroplanes at ten degrees down and the horizontal rudder two degrees up1 and the boat will submerge to a depth of thirty feet and run constant at that depth40 ,he had shut off the gasoline motor and started the storage-battery electric motor1 which was used when running submerged4 ,the great motors gave out a strange1 humming sound4 ,the crew conversed in low1 constrained tones4 ,there was a slightly perceptible jar1 and the boat seemed to quiver just a bit from stem to stern4 ,in front of ,shirley was a gauge which showed the depth of submergence and a spirit-level which showed any inclination4 8,submerged10 he remarked1 8is like running on the surface under dense-fog conditions40 ,i did not agree with those who have said there is no difference running submerged or on the surface4 ,under way on the surface was one thing4 ,but when we dived it was most unpleasant4 ,i had been reassured at the start when ,i heard that there were ten compressed-air tanks under a pressure of two thousand pounds to the square inch4 ,but only once before had ,i breathed compressed air and that was when one of our cases once took us down into the tunnels below the rivers of ,new ,york4 ,it was not a new sensation1 but at fifty feet depth ,i felt a little tingling all over my body1 a pounding of the ear-drums1 and just a trace of nausea4 ,kennedy smiled as ,i moved about4 8,never mind1 ,walter10 he said4 8,i know how you feel on a first trip4 ,one minute you are choking from lack of oxygen1 then in another part of the boat you are exhilarated by too much of it4 ,still10 he winked1 8don't forget that it is regulated40 8,well10 ,i returned1 8all ,i can say is that if war is hell1 a submarine is war40 ,i had1 however1 been much interested in the things about me4 ,forward1 the torpedo-discharge tubes and other apparatus about the little doors in the vessel's nose made it look somewhat like the shield used in boring a tunnel under compressed air4 8,ordinary torpedo-boats use the regular automobile torpedo10 remarked ,captain ,shirley1 coming ubiquitously up behind me4 8,i improve on that4 ,i can discharge the telautomobile torpedo1 and guide it either from the boat1 as we are now1 or from the land station where we were last night1 at will40 ,there was something more than pride in his manner4 ,he was deadly in earnest about his invention4 ,we had come over to the periscope1 the 8eye0 of the submarine when she is running just under the surface1 but of no use now that we were below4 8,yes10 he remarked1 in answer to my half-spoken question1 8that is the periscope4 ,usually there is one fixed to look ahead and another that is movable1 in order to take in what is on the sides and in the rear4 ,i have both of those4 ,but1 in addition1 ,i have the universal periscope1 the eye that sees all around1 three hundred and sixty degrees--a very clever application of an annular prism with objectives1 condenser1 and two eyepieces of low and high power40 ,a call from one of the crew took him into the stern to watch the operation of something1 leaving me to myself1 for ,kennedy was roaming about on a still hunt for anything that might suggest itself4 ,the safety devices1 probably more than any other single thing1 interested me1 for ,i had read with peculiar fascination of the great disasters to the ,lutin1 the ,pluviose1 the ,farfardet1 the ,a#h1 the ,foca1 the ,kambala1 the ,japanese ,no #f1 the ,german ,u#c1 and others4 ,below us ,i knew there was a keel that could be dropped1 lightening the boat considerably4 ,also1 there was the submarine bell1 immersed in a tank of water1 with telephone receivers attached by which one could 8listen in10 for example1 before rising1 say1 from sixty feet to twenty feet1 and thus 8hear0 the hulls of other ships4 ,the bell was struck by means of air pressure1 and was the same as that used for submarine signalling on ships4 ,water1 being dense1 is an excellent conductor of sound4 ,even in the submarine itself1 ,i could hear the muffled clang of the gong4 ,then there were buoys which could be released and would fly to the surface1 carrying within them a telephone1 a light1 and a whistle4 ,i knew also something of the explosion dangers on a submarine1 both from the fuel oil used when running on the surface1 and from the storage batteries used when running submerged4 ,once in a while a sailor would take from a jar a piece of litmus paper and expose it1 showing only a slight discolouration due to carbon dioxide4 ,that was the least of my troubles4 ,for a few moments1 also1 the white mice in a cage interested me4 ,white mice were carried because they dislike the odour of gasoline and give warning of any leakage by loud squeals4 ,the fact was that there was so much of interest that1 the first discomfort over1 ,i was1 like ,kennedy1 beginning really to enjoy the trip4 ,i was startled suddenly to hear the motors stop4 ,there was no more of that interminable buzzing4 ,the ,z#ii responded promptly to the air pressure that was forcing the water out of the tanks4 ,the gauge showed that we were gradually rising on an even keel4 ,a man sprang up the narrow hatchway and opened the cover through which we could see a little patch of blue sky again4 ,the gasoline motor was started1 and we ran leisurely back to the dock4 ,the trip was over--safely4 ,as we landed ,i felt a sense of gladness to get away from that feeling of being cut off from the world4 ,it was not fear of death or of the water1 as nearly as ,i could analyse it1 but merely that terrible sense of isolation from man and nature as we know it4 ,a message from ,burke was waiting for ,kennedy at the wharf4 ,he read it quickly1 then handed it to ,captain ,shirley and myself4 ,have just received a telegram from ,washington4 ,great excitement at the embassy4 ,cipher telegram has been despatched to the ,titan ,iron ,works4 ,one of my men in ,washington reports a queer experience4 ,he had been following one of the members of the embassy staff1 who saw he was being shadowed1 turned suddenly on the man1 and exclaimed1 8,why are you hounding us still80 ,what do you make of it8 ,no trace yet of ,nordheim ,,burke4 ,the lines in ,craig's face deepened in thought as he folded the message and remarked abstractedly1 8,she works all right when you are aboard40 ,then he recalled himself4 8,let us try her again without a crew40 ,five minutes later we had ascended to the aerial conning-tower1 and all was in readiness to repeat the trial of the night before4 ,vicious and sly the ,z#ii looked in the daytime as she slipped off1 under the unseen guidance of the wireless1 with death hidden under her nose4 ,just as during the first trial we had witnessed1 she began by fulfilling the highest expectations4 ,straight as an arrow she shot out of the harbour's mouth1 half submerged1 with her periscope sticking up and bearing the flag proudly flapping1 leaving behind a wake of white foam4 ,she turned and re-entered the harbour1 obeying ,captain ,shirley's every whim1 twisting in and out of the shipping much to the amazement of the old salts1 who had never become used to the weird sight4 ,she cut a figure eight1 stopped1 started again4 ,suddenly ,i could see by the look on ,captain ,shirley's face that something was wrong4 ,before either of us could speak1 there was a spurt of water out in the harbour1 a cloud of spray1 and the ,z#ii sank in a mass of bubbles4 ,she had heeled over and was resting on the mud and ooze of the harbour bottom4 ,the water had closed over her1 and she was gone4 ,instantly all the terrible details of the sinking of the ,lutin and other submarines flashed over me4 ,i fancied ,i could see on the ,z#ii the overturned accumulators4 ,i imagined the stifling fumes1 the struggle for breath in the suddenly darkened hull4 ,almost as if it had happened half an hour ago1 ,i saw it4 8,thank ,god for telautomatics10 ,i murmured1 as the thought swept over me of what we had escaped4 8,no one was aboard her1 at least40 ,chlorine was escaping rapidly from the overturned storage batteries1 for a grave danger lurks in the presence of sea water1 in a submarine1 in combination with any of the sulphuric acid4 ,salt water and sulphuric acid produce chlorine gas1 and a pint of it inside a good-sized submarine would be sufficient to render unconscious the crew of a boat4 ,i began to realise the risks we had run1 which my confidence in ,captain ,shirley had minimised4 ,i wondered whether hydrogen in dangerous quantities might not be given off1 and with the short-circuiting of the batteries perhaps explode4 ,nothing more happened1 however4 ,all kinds of theories suggested themselves4 ,perhaps in some way the gasoline motor had been started while the boat was depressed1 the 8gas0 had escaped1 combined with air1 and a spark had caused an explosion4 ,there were so many possibilities that it staggered me4 ,captain ,shirley sat stunned4 ,yet here was the one great question1 ,whence had come the impulse that had sent the famous ,z#ii to her fate8 8,could it have been through something internal80 ,i asked4 8,could a current from one of the batteries have influenced the receiving apparatus80 8,no10 replied the captain mechanically4 8,i have a secret method of protecting my receiving instruments from such impulses within the hull40 ,kennedy was sitting silently in the corner1 oblivious to us up to this point4 8,but not to impulses from outside the hull10 he broke in4 ,unobserved1 he had been bending over one of the little instruments which had kept us up all night and bad cost a tedious trip to ,new ,york and back4 8,what's that80 ,i asked4 8,this8 ,this is a little instrument known as the audion1 a wireless electric-wave detector40 8,outside the hull80 repeated ,shirley1 still dazed4 8,yes10 cried ,kennedy excitedly4 8,i got my first clue from that flickering ,welsbach mantle last night4 ,of course it flickered from the wireless we were using1 but it kept on4 ,you know in the gas-mantle there is matter in a most mobile and tenuous state1 very sensitive to heat and sound vibrations4 8,now1 the audion1 as you see1 consists of two platinum wings1 parallel to the plane of a bowed filament of an incandescent light in a vacuum4 ,it was invented by ,dr4 ,lee ,de,forest to detect wireless4 ,when the light is turned on and the little tantalum filament glows1 it is ready for business4 8,it can be used for all systems of wireless--singing spark1 quenched spark1 arc sets1 telephone sets2 in fact1 it will detect a wireless wave from whatever source it is sent4 ,it is so susceptible that a man with one attached to an ordinary steel-rod umbrella on a rainy night can pick up wireless messages that are being transmitted within some hundreds of miles radius40 ,the audion buzzed4 8,there--see8 ,our wireless is not working4 ,but with the audion you can see that some wireless is1 and a fairly near and powerful source it is1 too40 ,kennedy was absorbed in watching the audion4 ,suddenly he turned and faced us4 ,he had evidently reached a conclusion4 8,captain10 he cried1 8can you send a wireless message8 ,yes8 ,well1 this is to ,burke4 ,he is over there back of the hotel on the hill with some of his men4 ,he has one there who understands wireless1 and to whom ,i have given another audion4 ,quick1 before this other wireless cuts in on us again4 ,i want others to get the message as well as ,burke4 ,send this3 #8,have your men watch the railroad station and every road to it4 ,surround the ,stamford cottage4 ,there is some wireless interference from that direction4'0 ,as ,shirley1 with a half-insane light in his eyes1 flashed the message mechanically through space1 ,craig rose and signalled to the house4 ,under the portecochere ,i saw a waiting automobile1 which an instant later tore up the broken-stone path and whirled around almost on two wheels near the edge of the cliff4 ,glowing with health and excitement1 ,gladys ,shirley was at the wheel herself4 ,in spite of the tenseness of the situation1 ,i could not help stopping to admire the change in the graceful1 girlish figure of the night before1 which was now all lithe energy and alertness in her eager devotion to carrying out the minutest detail of ,kennedy's plan to aid her father4 8,excellent1 ,miss ,shirley10 exclaimed ,kennedy1 8but when ,i asked ,burke to have you keep a car in readiness1 ,i had no idea you would drive it yourself40 8,i like it10 she remonstrated1 as he offered to take the wheel4 8,please--please--let me drive4 ,i shall go crazy if ,i'm not doing something4 ,i saw the ,z#ii go down4 ,what was it8 ,who--0 8,captain10 called ,craig4 8,quick--into the car4 ,we must hurry4 ,to the ,stamford house1 ,miss ,shirley4 ,no one can get away from it before we arrive4 ,it is surrounded40 ,everything was quiet1 apparently1 about the house as our wild ride around the edge of the harbour ended under the deft guidance of ,gladys ,shirley4 ,here and there1 behind a hedge or tree1 ,i could see a lurking secret-service man4 ,burke joined us from behind a barn next door4 8,not a soul has gone in or out10 he whispered4 8,there does not seem to be a sign of life there40 ,craig and ,burke had by this time reached the broad veranda4 ,they did not wait to ring the bell1 but carried the door down literally off its hinges4 ,we followed closely4 ,a scream from the drawing-room brought us to a halt4 ,it was ,mrs4 ,brainard1 tall1 almost imperial in her loose morning gown1 her dark eyes snapping fire at the sudden intrusion4 ,i could not tell whether she had really noticed that the house was watched or was acting a part4 8,what does this mean80 she demanded4 8,what--,gladys--you--0 8,florence--tell them--it isn't so--is it8 ,you don't know a thing about those plans of father's that were--stolen--that night40 8,where is ,nordheim80 interjected ,burke quickly1 a little of his 8third degree0 training getting the upper hand4 8,nordheim80 8,yes--you know4 ,tell me4 ,is he here80 8,here8 ,isn't it bad enough to hound him1 without hounding me1 too8 ,will you merciless detectives drive us all from1 place to place with your brutal suspicions80 8,merciless80 inquired ,burke1 smiling with sarcasm4 8,who has been hounding him80 8,you know very well what ,i mean10 she repeated1 drawing herself up to her full height and patting ,gladys's hand to reassure her4 8,read that message on the table40 ,burke picked up a yellow telegram dated ,new ,york1 two days before4 ,it was as ,i feared when ,i left you4 ,the secret service must have rummaged my baggage both here and at the hotel4 ,they have taken some very valuable papers of mine4 8,secret service--rummage baggage80 repeated ,burke1 himself now in perplexity4 8,that is news to me4 ,we have rummaged no trunks or bags1 least of all ,nordheim's4 ,in fact1 we have never been able to find them at all40 8,upstairs1 ,burke--the servants' quarters10 interrupted ,craig impatiently4 8,we are wasting time here40 ,mrs4 ,brainard offered no protest4 ,i began to think that the whole thing was indeed a surprise to her1 and that she had1 in fact1 been reading1 instead of making a studied effort to appear surprised at our intrusion4 ,room after room was flung open without finding any one1 until we reached the attic1 which had been finished off into several rooms4 ,one door was closed4 ,craig opened it cautiously4 ,it was pitch dark in spite of the broad daylight outside4 ,we entered gingerly4 ,on the floor lay two dark piles of something4 ,my foot touched one of them4 ,i drew back in horror at the feeling4 ,it was the body of a man4 ,kennedy struck a light1 and as he bent over in its little circle of radiance1 he disclosed a ghastly scene4 8,hari-kiri60 he ejaculated4 8,they must have got my message to ,burke and have seen that the house was surrounded40 ,the two ,japanese servants had committed suicide4 8,wh-what does it all mean80 gasped ,mrs4 ,brainard1 who had followed us upstairs with ,gladys4 ,burke's lip curled slightly and he was about to speak4 8,it means10 hastened ,kennedy1 8that you have been double crossed1 ,mrs4 ,brainard4 ,nordheim stole those plans of ,captain ,shirley's submarine for his ,titan ,iron ,works4 ,then the ,japs stole them from his baggage at the hotel4 ,he thought the secret service had them4 ,the ,japs waited here just long enough to try the plans against the ,z#ii herself--to destroy ,captain ,shirley's work by his own method of destruction4 ,it was clever1 clever4 ,it would make his labours seem like a failure and would discourage others from keeping up the experiments4 ,they had planned to steal a march on the world4 ,every time the ,z#ii was out they worked up here with their improvised wireless until they found the wave-length ,shirley was using4 ,it took fifteen or twenty minutes1 but they managed1 finally1 to interfere so that they sent the submarine to the bottom of the harbour4 ,instead of being the criminal1 ,burke1 ,mrs4 ,brainard is the victim1 the victim both of ,nordheim and of her servants40 ,craig had thrown open a window and had dropped down on his knees before a little stove by which the room was heated4 ,he was poking eagerly in a pile of charred paper and linen4 8,shirley10 he cried1 8your secret is safe1 even though the duplicate plans were stolen4 ,there will be no more interference40 ,the ,captain seized ,craig by both hands and wrung them like the handle of a pump4 8,oh1 thank you--thank you--thank you10 cried ,gladys1 running up and almost dancing with joy at the change in her father4 8,i--,i could almost--kiss you60 8,i could let you10 twinkled ,craig1 promptly1 as she blushed deeply4 8,thank you1 too1 ,mrs4 ,brainard10 he added1 turning to acknowledge her congratulations also4 8,i am glad ,i have been able to be of service to you40 8,won't you come back to the house for dinner80 urged the ,captain4 ,kennedy looked at me and smiled4 8,walter10 he said1 8this is no place for two old bachelors like us40 ,then turning1 he added1 8,many thanks1 sir1--but1 seriously1 last night we slept principally in day coaches4 ,really ,i must turn the case over to ,burke now and get back to the city to-night early40 ,they insisted on accompanying us to the station1 and there the congratulations were done all over again4 8,why10 exclaimed ,kennedy1 as we settled ourselves in the ,pullman after waving a final good-bye1 8,i shall be afraid to go back to that town again4 ,i--,i almost did kiss her60 ,then his face settled into its usual stern lines1 although softened1 ,i thought4 ,i am sure that it was not the ,new ,england landscape1 with its quaint stone fences1 that he looked at out of the window1 but the recollection of the bright dashing figure of ,gladys ,shirley4 ,it was seldom that a girl made so forcible an impression on ,kennedy1 ,i know1 for on our return he fairly dived into work1 like the ,z#ii herself1 and ,i did not see him all the next day until just before dinner time4 ,then he came in and spent half an hour restoring his acid-stained fingers to something like human semblance4 ,he said nothing about his research work of the day1 and ,i was just about to remark that a day had passed without its usual fresh alarum and excursion1 when a tap on the door buzzer was followed by the entrance of our old friend ,andrews1 head of the ,great ,eastern ,life ,insurance ,company's own detective service4 8,kennedy10 he began1 8,i have a startling case for you4 ,can you help me out with it80 ,as he sat down heavily1 he pulled from his immense black wallet some scraps of paper and newspaper cuttings4 8,you recall1 ,i suppose10 he went on1 unfolding the papers without waiting for an answer1 8the recent death of young ,montague ,phelps1 at ,woodbine1 just outside the city80 ,kennedy nodded4 ,the death of ,phelps1 about ten days before1 had attracted nation-wide attention because of the heroic fight for life he had made against what the doctors admitted had puzzled them--a new and baffling manifestation of coma4 ,they had laboured hard to keep him awake1 but had not succeeded1 and after several days of lying in a comatose state he had finally succumbed4 ,it was one of those strange but rather frequent cases of long sleeps reported in the newspapers1 although it was by no means one which might be classed as record-breaking4 ,the interest in ,phelps lay1 a great deal1 in the fact that the young man had married the popular dancer1 ,anginette ,petrovska1 a few months previously4 ,his honeymoon trip around the world had suddenly been interrupted1 while the couple were crossing ,siberia1 by the news of the failure of the ,phelps banking-house in ,wall ,street and the practical wiping-out of his fortune4 ,he had returned1 only to fall a victim to a greater misfortune4 8,a few days before his death10 continued ,andrews1 measuring his words carefully1 8,i1 or rather the ,great ,eastern1 which had been secretly investigating the case1 received this letter4 ,what do you think of it80 ,he spread out on the table a crumpled note in a palpably disguised handwriting3 ,,to ,,whom ,,it ,,may ,,concern3 ,you would do well to look ,into the death of ,montague ,phelps1 ,jr4 ,i accuse no one1 assert nothing4 ,but when a young man apparently in the best of health1 drops off so mysteriously and even the physician in the case can give no very convincing information1 that case warrants attention4 ,i know what ,i know4 ,,an ,,outsider4 ,,xxi ,,the ,,ghouls 8,h-,m10 mused ,kennedy1 weighing the contents of the note carefully1 8one of the family1 ,i'll be bound--unless the whole thing is a hoax4 ,by the way1 who else is there in the immediate family80 8,only a brother1 ,dana ,phelps1 younger and somewhat inclined to wildness1 ,i believe4 ,at least1 his father did not trust him with a large inheritance1 but left most of his money in trust4 ,but before we go any further1 read that40 ,andrews pulled from the papers a newspaper cutting on which he had drawn a circle about the following item4 ,as we read1 he eyed us sharply4 ,,phelps ,,tomb ,,desecrated ,last night1 ,john ,shaughnessy1 a night watchman employed by the town of ,woodbine1 while on his rounds1 was attracted by noises as of a violent struggle near the back road in the ,woodbine ,cemetery1 on the outskirts of the town4 ,he had varied his regular rounds because of the recent depredations of motor-car yeggmen who had timed him in pulling off several jobs lately4 ,as he hurried toward the large mausoleum of the ,phelps family1 he saw two figures slink away in opposite directions in the darkness4 ,one of them1 he asserts positively1 seemed to be a woman in black1 the other a man whom he could not see clearly4 ,they readily eluded pursuit in the shadows1 and a moment later he heard the whir of a high-powered car1 apparently bearing them away4 ,at the tomb there was every evidence of a struggle4 ,things had been thrown about2 the casket had been broken open1 but the body of ,montague ,phelps1 ,jr41 which had been interred there about ten days ago1 was not touched or mutilated4 ,it was a shocking and extraordinary violation4 ,shaughnessy believes that some personal jewels may have been buried with ,phelps and that the thieves were after them1 that they fought over the loot1 and in the midst of the fight were scared away4 ,the vault is of peculiar construction1 a costly tomb in which repose the bodies of the late ,montague ,phelps1 ,sr41 of his wife1 and now of his eldest son4 ,the raid had evidently been carefully planned to coincide with a time when ,shaughnessy would ordinarily have been on the other side of the town4 ,the entrance to the tomb had been barred1 but during the commotion the ghouls were surprised and managed to escape without accomplishing their object and leaving no trace4 ,mrs4 ,phelps1 when informed of the vandalism1 was shocked1 and has been in a very nervous state since the tomb was forced open4 ,the local authorities seem extremely anxious that every precaution should be taken to prevent a repetition of the ghoulish visit to the tomb1 but as yet the ,phelps family has taken no steps4 8,are you aware of any scandal1 any skeleton in the closet in the family80 asked ,craig1 looking up4 8,no--not yet10 considered ,andrews4 8,as soon as ,i heard of the vandalism1 ,i began to wonder what could have happened in the ,phelps tomb1 as far as our company's interests were concerned4 ,you see1 that was yesterday4 ,to-day this letter came along10 he added1 laying down a second very dirty and wrinkled note beside the first4 ,it was quite patently written by a different person from the first2 its purport was different1 indeed quite the opposite of the other4 8,it was sent to ,mrs4 ,phelps10 explained ,andrews1 8and she gave it out herself to the police40 ,do not show this to the police4 ,unless you leave #ejjj in gold in the old stump in the swamp across from the cemetery1 you will have reason to regret it4 ,if you respect the memory of the dead1 do this1 and do it quietly4 ,,black ,,hand4 8,well10 ,i ejaculated1 8that's cool4 ,what threat would be used to back this demand on the ,phelpses80 8,here's the situation10 resumed ,andrews1 puffing violently on his inevitable cigar and toying with the letters and clippings4 8,we have already held up payment of the half-million dollars of insurance to the widow as long as we can consistently do so4 ,but we must pay soon1 scandal or not1 unless we can get something more than mere conjecture40 8,you are already holding it up80 queried ,craig4 8,yes4 ,you see1 we investigate thoroughly every suspicious death4 ,in most cases1 no body is found4 ,this case is different in that respect4 ,there is a body1 and it is the body of the insured1 apparently4 ,but a death like this1 involving the least mystery1 receives careful examination1 especially if1 as in this case1 it has recently been covered by heavy policies4 ,my work has often served to reverse the decision of doctors and coroners' juries4 8,an insurance detective1 as you can readily appreciate1 ,kennedy1 soon comes to recognise the characteristics in the crimes with which he deals4 ,for example1 writing of the insurance plotted for rarely precedes the conspiracy to defraud4 ,that is1 ,i know of few cases in which a policy originally taken out in good faith has subsequently become the means of a swindle4 8,in outright-murder cases1 the assassin induces the victim to take out insurance in his favour4 ,in suicide cases1 the insured does so himself4 ,just after his return home1 young ,phelps1 who carried fifty thousand dollars already1 applied for and was granted one of the largest policies we have ever written--half a million40 8,was it incontestible without the suicide clause80 asked ,kennedy4 8,yes10 replied ,andrews1 8and suicide is the first and easiest theory4 ,why1 you have no idea how common the crime of suicide for the sake of the life insurance is becoming4 ,nowadays1 we insurance men almost believe that every one who contemplates ending his existence takes out a policy so as to make his life1 which is useless to him1 a benefit1 at least1 to some one--and a nightmare to the insurance detective40 8,i know10 ,i cut in1 for ,i recalled having been rather interested in the ,phelps case at the time1 8but ,i thought the doctors said finally that death was due to heart failure40 8,doctor ,forden who signed the papers said so10 corrected ,andrews4 8,heart failure--what does that mean8 ,as well say breath failure1 or nerve failure4 ,i'll tell you what kind of failure ,i think it was4 ,it was money failure4 ,hard times and poor investments struck ,phelps before he really knew how to handle his small fortune4 ,it called him home and--pouf6--he is off--to leave to his family a cool half-million by his death4 ,but did he do it himself or did some one else do it8 ,that's the question40 8,what is your theory10 inquired ,kennedy absently1 8assuming there is no scandal hidden in the life of ,phelps before or after he married the ,russian dancer80 8,i don't know1 ,kennedy10 confessed ,andrews4 8,i have had so many theories and have changed them so rapidly that all ,i lay claim to believing1 outside of the bald facts that ,i have stated1 is that there must have been some poison4 ,i rather sense it1 feel that there is no doubt of it1 in fact4 ,that is why ,i have come to you4 ,i want you to clear it up1 one way or another4 ,the company has no interest except in getting at the truth40 8,the body is really there80 asked ,kennedy4 8,you saw it80 8,it was there no later than this afternoon1 and in an almost perfect state of preservation1 too40 ,kennedy seemed to be looking at and through ,andrews as if he would hypnotise the truth out of him4 8,let me see10 he said quickly4 8,it is not very late now4 ,can we visit the mausoleum to-night80 8,easily4 ,my car is down-stairs4 ,woodbine is not far1 and you'll find it a very attractive suburb1 aside from this mystery40 ,andrews lost no time in getting us out to ,woodbine1 and on the fringe of the little town1 one of the wealthiest around the city1 he deposited us at the least likely place of all1 the cemetery4 ,a visit to a cemetery is none too enjoyable even on a bright day4 ,in the early night it is positively uncanny4 ,what was gruesome in the daylight became doubly so under the shroud of darkness4 ,we made our way into the grounds through a gate1 and ,i1 at least1 even with all the enlightenment of modern science1 could not restrain a weird and creepy sensation4 8,here is the ,phelps tomb10 directed ,andrews1 pausing beside a marble structure of ,grecian lines and pulling out a duplicate key of a new lock which had been placed on the heavy door of grated iron4 ,as we entered1 it was with a shudder at the damp odour of decay4 ,kennedy had brought his little electric bull's-eye1 and1 as he flashed it about1 we could see at a glance that the reports had not been exaggerated4 ,everything showed marks of a struggle4 ,some of the ornaments had been broken1 and the coffin itself had been forced open4 8,i have had things kept just as we found them10 explained ,andrews4 ,kennedy peered into the broken coffin long and attentively4 ,with a little effort ,i1 too1 followed the course of the circle of light4 ,the body was1 as ,andrews had said1 in an excellent1 indeed a perfect1 state of preservation4 ,there were1 strange to say1 no marks of decay4 8,strange1 very strange10 muttered ,kennedy to himself4 8,could it have been some medical students1 body-snatchers80 ,i asked musingly4 8,or was it simply a piece of vandalism8 ,i wonder if there could have been any jewels buried with him1 as ,shaughnessy said8 ,that would make the motive plain robbery40 8,there were no jewels10 said ,andrews1 his mind not on the first part of my question1 but watching ,kennedy intently4 ,craig had dropped on his knees on the damp1 mildewed floor1 and bringing his bull's-eye close to the stones1 was examining some spots here and there4 8,there could not have been any substitution80 ,i whispered1 with1 my mind still on the broken coffin4 8,that would cover up the evidence of a poisoning1 you know40 8,no10 replied ,andrews positively1 8although bodies can be obtained cheaply enough from a morgue1 ostensibly for medical purposes4 ,no1 that is ,phelps1 all right40 8,well1 then10 ,i persisted1 8body-snatchers1 medical students80 8,not likely1 for the same reason10 he rejected4 ,we bent over closer to watch ,kennedy4 ,apparently he had found a number of round1 flat spots with little spatters beside them4 ,he was carefully trying to scrape them up with as little of the surrounding mould as possible4 ,suddenly1 without warning1 there was a noise outside1 as if a person were moving through the underbrush4 ,it was fearsome in its suddenness4 ,was it human or wraith8 ,kennedy darted to the door in time to see a shadow glide silently away1 lost in the darkness of the fine old willows4 ,some one had approached the mausoleum for a second time1 not knowing we were there1 and had escaped4 ,down the road we could hear the purr of an almost silent motor4 8,somebody is trying to get in to conceal something here10 muttered ,kennedy1 stifling his disappointment at not getting a closer view of the intruder4 8,then it was not a suicide10 ,i exclaimed4 8,it was a murder60 ,craig shook his head sententiously4 ,evidently he not prepared yet to talk4 ,with another look at the body in the broken casket he remarked3 8,to-morrow ,i want to call on ,mrs4 ,phelps and ,doctor ,forden1 and1 if it is possible to find him1 ,dana ,phelps4 ,meanwhile1 ,andrews1 if you and ,walter will stand guard here1 there is an apparatus which ,i should like to get from my laboratory and set up here before it is too late40 ,it was far past the witching hour of midnight1 when graveyards proverbially yawn1 before ,craig returned in the car4 ,nothing had happened in the meantime except those usual eery noises that one may hear in the country at night anywhere4 ,our visitor of the early evening seemed to have been scared away for good4 ,inside the mausoleum1 ,kennedy set up a peculiar machine which he attached to the electric-light circuit in the street by a long wire which he ran loosely over the ground4 ,part of the apparatus consisted of an elongated box lined with lead1 to which were several other attachments1 the nature of which ,i did not understand1 and a crank-handle4 8,what's that80 asked ,andrews curiously1 as ,craig set up a screen between the apparatus and the body4 8,this is a calcium-tungsten screen10 remarked ,kennedy1 adjusting now what ,i know to be a ,crookes' tube on the other side of the body itself1 so that the order was3 the tube1 the body1 the screen1 and the oblong box4 ,without a further word we continued to watch him4 ,at last1 the apparatus adjusted apparently to his satisfaction1 he brought out a jar of thick white liquid and a bottle of powder4 8,buttermilk and a couple of ounces of bismuth sub-carbonate10 he remarked1 as he mixed some in a glass1 and with a pump forced it down the throat of the body1 now lying so that the abdomen was almost flat against the screen4 ,he turned a switch and the peculiar bluish effulgence1 which always appears when a ,crookes' tube is being used1 burst forth1 accompanied by the droning of his induction-coil and the welcome smell of ozone produced by the electrical discharge in the almost fetid air of the tomb4 ,meanwhile1 he was gradually turning the handle of the crank attached to the oblong box4 ,he seemed so engrossed in the delicateness of the operation that we did not question him1 in fact did not move4 ,for ,andrews1 at least1 it was enough to know that he had succeeded in enlisting ,kennedy's services4 ,well along toward morning it was before ,kennedy had concluded his tests1 whatever they were1 and had packed away his paraphernalia4 8,i'm afraid it will take me two or three days to get at this evidence1 even now10 he remarked1 impatient at even the limitations science put on his activity4 ,we had started back for a quick run to the city and rest4 8,but1 anyhow1 it will give us a chance to do some investigating along other lines40 ,early the next day1 in spite of the late session of the night before1 ,kennedy started me with him on a second visit to ,woodbine4 ,this time he was armed with a letter of introduction from ,andrews to ,mrs4 ,phelps4 ,she proved to be a young woman of most extraordinary grace and beauty1 with a superb carriage such as only years of closest training under the best dancers of the world could give4 ,there was a peculiar velvety softness about her flesh and skin1 a witching stoop to her shoulders that was decidedly continental1 and in her deep1 soulful eyes a half-wistful look that was most alluring4 ,in fact1 she was as attractive a widow as the best ,fifth ,avenue dealers in mourning goods could have produced4 ,i knew that #8,ginette ,phelps had been1 both as dancer and wife1 always the centre of a group of actors1 artists1 and men of letters as well as of the world and affairs4 ,the ,phelpses had lived well1 although they were not extremely wealthy1 as fortunes go4 ,when the blow fell1 ,i could well fancy that the loss of his money had been most serious to young ,montague1 who had showered everything as lavishly as he was able upon his captivating bride4 ,mrs4 ,phelps did not seem to be overjoyed at receiving us1 yet made no open effort to refuse4 8,how long ago did the coma first show itself80 asked ,kennedy1 after our introductions were completed4 8,was your husband a man of neurotic tendency1 as far as you could judge80 8,oh1 ,i couldn't say when it began10 she answered1 in a voice that was soft and musical and under perfect control4 8,the doctor would know that better4 ,no1 he was not neurotic1 ,i think40 8,did you ever see ,mr4 ,phelps take any drugs--not habitually1 but just before this sleep came on80 ,kennedy was seeking his information in a manner and tone that would cause as little offence as possible 8,oh1 no10 she hastened4 8,no1 never--absolutely40 8,you called in ,dr4 ,forden the last night80 8,yes1 he had been ,montague's physician many years ago1 you know40 8,i see10 remarked ,kennedy1 who was thrusting about aimlessly to get her off her guard4 8,by the way1 you know there is a great deal of gossip about the almost perfect state of preservation of the body1 ,mrs4 ,phelps4 ,i see it was not embalmed40 ,she bit her lip and looked at ,kennedy sharply4 8,why1 why do you and ,mr4 ,andrews worry me8 ,can't you see ,doctor ,forden80 ,in her annoyance ,i fancied that there was a surprising lack of sorrow4 ,she seemed preoccupied4 ,i could not escape the feeling that she was putting some obstacle in our way1 or that from the day of the discovery of the vandalism1 some one had been making an effort to keep the real facts concealed4 ,was she shielding some one8 ,it flashed over me that perhaps1 after all1 she had submitted to the blackmail and had buried the money at the appointed place4 ,there seemed to be little use in pursuing the inquiry1 so we excused ourselves1 much1 ,i thought1 to her relief4 ,we found ,doctor ,forden1 who lived on the same street as the ,phelpses several squares away1 most fortunately at home4 ,forden was an extremely interesting man1 as is1 indeed1 the rule with physicians4 ,i could not but fancy1 however1 that his hearty assurance that he would be glad to talk freely on the case was somewhat forced4 8,you were sent for by ,mrs4 ,phelps1 that last night1 ,i believe1 while ,phelps was still alive80 asked ,kennedy4 8,yes4 ,during the day it had been impossible to arouse him1 and that night1 when ,mrs4 ,phelps and the nurse found him sinking even deeper into the comatose state1 ,i was summoned again4 ,he was beyond hope then4 ,i did everything ,i could1 but he died a few moments after ,i arrived40 8,did you try artificial respiration80 asked ,kennedy4 8,n-no10 replied ,forden4 8,i telephoned here for my respirator1 but by the time it arrived at the house it was too late4 ,nothing had been omitted while he was still struggling with the spark of life4 ,when that went out what was the use80 8,you were his personal physician80 8,yes40 8,had you ever noticed that he took any drug80 ,doctor ,forden shot a quick glance at ,kennedy4 8,of course not4 ,he was not a drug fiend40 8,i didn't mean that he was addicted to any drug4 ,but had he taken anything lately1 either of his own volition or with the advice or knowledge of any one else80 8,of course not40 8,there's another strange thing ,i wish to ask your opinion about10 pursued ,kennedy1 not to be rebuffed4 8,i have seen his body4 ,it is in an excellent state of preservation1 almost lifelike4 ,and yet ,i understand1 or at least it seems1 that it was not embalmed40 8,you'll have to ask the undertaker about that10 answered the doctor brusquely4 ,it was evident that he was getting more and more constrained in his answers4 ,kennedy did not seem to mind it1 but to me it seemed that he must be hiding something4 ,was there some secret which medical ethics kept locked in his breast8 ,kennedy had risen and excused himself4 ,the interviews had not resulted in much1 ,i felt1 yet ,kennedy did not seem to care4 ,back in the city again1 he buried himself in his laboratory for the rest of the day1 most of the time in his dark room1 where he was developing photographic plates or films1 ,i did not know which4 ,during the afternoon ,andrews dropped in for a few moments to report that he had nothing to add to what had already developed4 ,he was not much impressed by the interviews4 8,there's just one thing ,i want to speak about1 though10 he said at length1 unburdening his mind4 8,that tomb and the swamp1 too1 ought to be watched4 ,last night showed me that there seems to be a regular nocturnal visitor and that we cannot depend on that town night watchman to scare him off4 ,yet if we watch up there1 he will be warned and will lie low4 ,how can we watch both places at once and yet remain hidden80 ,kennedy nodded approval of the suggestion4 8,i'll fix that10 he replied1 anxious to return to his photographic labours4 8,meet me1 both of you1 on the road from the station at ,woodbine1 just as it is getting dusk40 ,without another word he disappeared into the dark room4 ,we met him that night as he had requested4 ,he had come up to ,woodbine in the baggage-car of the train with a powerful dog1 for all the world like a huge1 grey wolf4 8,down1 ,schaef10 he ordered1 as the dog began to show an uncanny interest in me4 8,let me introduce my new dog-detective10 he chuckled4 8,she has a wonderful record as a police-dog40 ,we were making our way now through the thickening shadows of the town to the outskirts4 8,she's a ,german sheep-dog1 a ,schaferhund10 he explained4 8,for my part1 it is the ,english bloodhound in the open country and the sheep-dog in the city and the suburbs40 ,schaef seemed to have many of the characteristics of the wild1 prehistoric animal1 among them the full1 upright ears of the wild dog which are such a great help to it4 ,she was a fine1 alert1 upstanding dog1 hardy1 fierce1 and literally untiring1 of a tawny light brown like a lioness1 about the same size and somewhat of the type of the smooth-coated collie1 broad of chest and with a full brush of tail4 ,untamed though she seemed1 she was perfectly under ,kennedy's control1 and rendered him absolute and unreasoning obedience4 ,at the cemetery we established a strict watch about the ,phelps mausoleum and the swamp which lay across the road1 not a difficult thing to do as far as concealment went1 owing to the foliage4 ,still1 for the same reason1 it was hard to cover the whole ground4 ,in the shadow of a thicket we waited4 ,now and then we could hear ,schaef scouting about in the underbrush1 crouching and hiding1 watching and guarding4 ,as the hours of waiting in the heavily laden night air wore on1 ,i wondered whether our vigil in this weird place would be rewarded4 ,the soughing of the night wind in the evergreens1 mournful at best1 was doubly so now4 ,hour after hour we waited patiently4 ,at last there was a slight noise from the direction opposite the mausoleum and toward the swamp next to the cemetery4 ,kennedy reached out and drew us back into the shadow deeper4 8,some one is prowling about1 approaching the mausoleum on that side1 ,i think10 he whispered4 ,instantly there recurred to me the thought ,i had had earlier in the day that perhaps1 after all1 the five thousand dollars of hush money1 for whatever purpose it might be extorted1 had been buried in the swamp by ,mrs4 ,phelps in her anxiety4 ,had that been what she was concealing8 ,perhaps the blackmailer had come to reconnoitre1 and1 if the money was there1 to take it away4 ,schaef1 who had been near us1 was sniffing eagerly4 ,from our hiding-place we could just see her4 ,she had heard the sounds1 too1 even before we had1 and for an instant stood with every muscle tense4 ,then1 like an arrow1 she darted into the underbrush4 ,an instant later1 the sharp crack of a revolver rang out4 ,schaef kept right on1 never stopping a second1 except1 perhaps1 for surprise4 8,crack60 almost in her face came a second spit of fire in the darkness1 and a bullet crashed through the leaves and buried itself in a tree with a ping4 ,the intruder's marksmanship was poor1 but the dog paid no attention to it4 8,one of the few animals that show no fear of gunfire10 muttered ,kennedy1 in undisguised admiration4 8,g-,r-,r-,r10 we heard from the police-dog4 8,she has made a leap at the hand that holds the gun10 cried ,kennedy1 now rising and moving rapidly in the same direction4 8,she has been taught that a man once badly bitten in the hand is nearly out of the fight40 ,we followed1 too4 ,as we approached we were just in time to see ,schaef running in and out between the legs of a man who had heard us approach and was hastily making tracks for the road4 ,as he tripped1 she lunged for his back4 ,kennedy blew shrilly on a police whistle4 ,reluctantly1 ,schaef let go4 ,one could see that with all her canine instinct she wanted to 8get0 that man4 ,her jaws were open1 as1 with longing eyes1 she stood over the prostrate form in the grass4 ,the whistle was a signal1 and she had been taught to obey unquestioningly4 8,don't move until we get to you1 or you are a dead man10 shouted ,kennedy1 pulling an automatic as he ran4 8,are you hurt80 ,there was no answer1 but as we approached1 the man moved1 ever so little1 through curiosity to see his pursuers4 ,schaef shot forward4 ,again the whistle sounded and she dropped back4 ,we bent over to seize him as ,kennedy secured the dog4 8,she's a devil10 ground out the prone figure on the grass4 8,dana ,phelps60 exclaimed ,andrews1 as the man turned his face toward us4 8,what are you doing1 mixed up in this80 ,suddenly there was a movement in the rear1 toward the mausoleum itself4 ,we turned1 but it was too late4 ,two dark figures slunk through the gloom1 bearing something between them4 ,kennedy slipped the leash off ,schaef and she shot out like a unchained bolt of lightning4 ,there was the whir of a high-powered machine which must have sneaked up with the muffler on during the excitement4 ,they had taken a desperate chance and had succeeded4 ,they were gone6 ,,xxii ,,the ,x-,,ray 8,,movies0 ,still holding ,dana ,phelps between us1 we hurried toward the tomb and entered4 ,while our attention had been diverted in the direction of the swamp1 the body of ,montague ,phelps had been stolen4 ,dana ,phelps was still deliberately brushing off his clothes4 ,had he been in league with them1 executing a flank movement to divert our attention8 ,or had it all been pure chance8 8,well80 demanded ,andrews4 8,well80 replied ,dana4 ,kennedy said nothing1 and ,i felt that1 with our capture1 the mystery seemed to have deepened rather than cleared4 ,as ,andrews and ,phelps faced each other1 ,i noticed that the latter was now and then endeavouring to cover his wrist1 where the dog had torn his coat sleeve4 8,are you hurt badly80 inquired ,kennedy4 ,dana said nothing1 but backed away4 ,kennedy advanced1 insisting on looking at the wounds4 ,as he looked he disclosed a semicircle of marks4 8,not a dog bite10 he whispered1 turning to me and fumbling in his pocket4 8,besides1 those marks are a couple of days old4 ,they have scabs on them40 ,he had pulled out a pencil and a piece of paper1 and1 unknown to ,phelps1 was writing in the darkness4 ,i leaned over4 ,near the point1 in the tube through which the point for writing was1 protruded a small accumulator and tiny electric lamp which threw a little disc of light1 so small that it could be hidden by the hand1 yet quite sufficient to guide ,craig in moving the point of his pencil for the proper formation of whatever he was recording on the surface of the paper4 8,an electric-light pencil10 he remarked laconically1 in an undertone4 8,who were the others80 demanded ,andrews of ,dana4 ,there was a pause as though he were debating whether or not to answer at all4 8,i don't know10 he said at length4 8,i wish ,i did40 8,you don't know80 queried ,andrews1 with incredulity4 8,no1 ,i say ,i wish ,i did know4 ,you and your dog interrupted me just as ,i was about to find out1 too40 ,we looked at each other in amazement4 ,andrews was frankly skeptical of the coolness of the young man4 ,kennedy said nothing for some moments4 8,i see you don't want to talk10 he put in shortly4 8,nothing to talk about10 grunted ,dana1 in disgust4 8,then why are you here80 8,nothing but conjecture4 ,no facts1 only suspicions10 said ,dana1 half to himself4 8,you expect us to believe that80 insinuated ,andrews4 8,i can't help what you believe4 ,that is the fact40 8,and you were not with them80 8,no40 8,you'll be within call1 if we let you go now1 any time that we want you80 interrupted ,kennedy1 much to the surprise of ,andrews4 8,i shall stay in ,woodbine as long as there is any hope of clearing up this case4 ,if you want me1 ,i suppose ,i shall have to stay anyhow1 even if there is a clue somewhere else40 8,i'll take your word for it10 offered ,kennedy4 8,i'll give it40 ,i must say that ,i rather liked the young chap1 although ,i could make nothing out of him4 ,as ,dana ,phelps disappeared down the road1 ,andrews turned to ,kennedy4 8,what did you do that for80 he asked1 half critically4 8,because we can watch him1 anyway10 answered ,craig1 with a significant glance at the now empty casket4 8,have him shadowed1 ,andrews4 ,it may lead to something and it may not4 ,but in any case don't let him get out of reach40 8,here we are in a worse mystery than ever10 grumbled ,andrews4 8,we have caught a prisoner1 but the body is gone1 and we can't even show that he was an accomplice40 8,what were you writing80 ,i asked ,craig1 endeavouring to change the subject to one more promising4 8,just copying the peculiar shape of those marks on ,phelps' arm4 ,perhaps we can improve on the finger-print method of identification4 ,those were the marks of human teeth40 ,he was glancing casually at his sketch as he displayed it to us4 ,i wondered whether he really expected to obtain proof of the identity of at least one of the ghouls by the tooth-marks4 8,it shows eight teeth1 one of them decayed10 he remarked4 8,by the way1 there's no use watching here any longer4 ,i have some more work to do in the laboratory which will keep me another day4 ,to-morrow night ,i shall be ready4 ,andrews1 in the mean time ,i leave the shadowing of ,dana to you1 and with the help of ,jameson ,i want you to arrange to have all those connected with the case at my laboratory to-morrow night without fail40 ,andrews and ,i had to do some clever scheming to bring pressure to bear on the various persons interested to insure their attendance1 now that ,craig was ready to act4 ,of course there was no difficulty in getting ,dana ,phelps4 ,andrews's shadows reported nothing in his actions of the following day that indicated anything4 ,mrs4 ,phelps came down to town by train and ,doctor ,forden motored in4 ,andrews even took the precaution to secure ,shaughnessy and the trained nurse1 ,miss ,tracy1 who had been with ,montague ,phelps during his illness but had not contributed anything toward untangling the case4 ,andrews and myself completed the little audience4 ,we found ,kennedy heating a large mass of some composition such as dentists use in taking impressions of the teeth4 8,i shall be ready in a moment10 he excused himself1 still bending over his ,bunsen flame4 8,by the way1 ,mr4 ,phelps1 if you will permit me40 ,he had detached a wad of the softened material4 ,phelps1 taken by surprise1 allowed him to make an impression of his teeth1 almost before he realised what ,kennedy was doing4 ,the precedent set1 so to speak1 ,kennedy approached ,doctor ,forden4 ,he demurred1 but finally consented4 ,mrs4 ,phelps followed1 then the nurse1 and even ,shaughnessy4 ,with a quick glance at each impression1 ,kennedy laid them aside to harden4 8,i am ready to begin10 he remarked at length1 turning to a peculiar looking instrument1 something like three telescopes pointing at a centre in which was a series of glass prisms4 8,these five senses of ours are pretty dull detectives sometimes10 ,kennedy began4 8,but ,i find that when we are able to call in outside aid we usually find that there are no more mysteries40 ,he placed something in a test-tube in line before one of the barrels of the telescopes1 near a brilliant electric light4 8,what do you see1 ,walter80 he asked1 indicating an eyepiece4 ,i looked4 8,a series of lines10 ,i replied4 8,what is it80 8,that10 he explained1 8is a spectroscope1 and those are the lines of the absorption spectrum4 ,each of those lines1 by its presence1 denotes a different substance4 ,now1 on the pavement of the ,phelps mausoleum ,i found1 you will recall1 some roundish spots4 ,i have made a very diluted solution of them which is placed in this tube4 8,the applicability of the spectroscope to the differentiation of various substances is too well known to need explanation4 ,its value lies in the exact nature of the evidence furnished4 ,even the very dilute solution which ,i have been able to make of the material scraped from these spots gives characteristic absorption bands between the ,d and ,e lines1 as they are called4 ,their wave-lengths are between #eggd and #ecij4 ,it is such a distinct absorption spectrum that it is possible to determine with certainty that the fluid actually contains a certain substance1 even though the microscope might fail to give sure proof4 ,blood--human blood--that was what those stains were40 ,he paused4 8,the spectra of the blood pigments10 he added1 8of the extremely minute quantities of blood and the decomposition products of hemoglobin in the blood are here infallibly shown1 varying very distinctly with the chemical changes which the pigments may undergo40 ,whose blood was it8 ,i asked myself4 ,was it of some one who had visited the tomb1 who was surprised there or surprised some one else there8 ,i was hardly ready for ,kennedy's quick remark4 8,there were two kinds of blood there4 ,one was contained in the spots on the floor all about the mausoleum4 ,there are marks on the arm of ,dana ,phelps which he probably might say were made by the teeth of my police-dog1 ,schaef4 ,they are human tooth-marks1 however4 ,he was bitten by some one in a struggle4 ,it was his blood on the floor of the mausoleum4 ,whose were the teeth80 ,kennedy fingered the now set impressions1 then resumed3 8,before ,i answer that question1 what else does the spectroscope show8 ,i found some spots near the coffin1 which has been broken open by a heavy object4 ,it had slipped and had injured the body of ,montague ,phelps4 ,from the injury some drops had oozed4 ,my spectroscope tells me that that1 too1 is blood4 ,the blood and other muscular and nervous fluids of the body had remained in an aqueous condition instead of becoming pectous4 ,that is a remarkable circumstance40 ,it flashed over me what ,kennedy had been driving at in his inquiry regarding embalming4 ,if the poisons of the embalming fluid had not been injected1 he had now clear proof regarding anything his spectroscope discovered4 8,i had expected to find a poison1 perhaps an alkaloid10 he continued slowly1 as he outlined his discoveries by the use of one of the most fascinating branches of modern science1 spectroscopy4 8,in cases of poisoning by these substances1 the spectroscope often has obvious advantages over chemical methods1 for minute amounts will produce a well-defined spectrum4 ,the spectroscope #8spots' the substance1 to use a police idiom1 the moment the case is turned over to it4 ,there was no poison there40 ,he had raised his voice to emphasise the startling revelation4 8,instead1 ,i found an extraordinary amount of the substance and products of glycogen4 ,the liver1 where this substance is stored1 is literally surcharged in the body of ,phelps40 ,he had started his moving-picture machine4 8,here ,i have one of the latest developments in the moving-picture art10 he resumed1 8an ,x-ray moving picture1 a feat which was until recently visionary1 a science now in its infancy1 bearing the formidable names of biorontgenography1 or kinematoradiography40 ,kennedy was holding his little audience breathless as he proceeded4 ,i fancied ,i could see ,anginette ,phelps give a little shudder at the prospect of looking into the very interior of a human body4 ,but she was pale with the fascination of it4 ,neither ,forden nor the nurse looked to the right or to the left4 ,dana ,phelps was open-eyed with wonder4 8,in one ,x-ray photograph1 or even in several10 continued ,kennedy1 8it is difficult to discover slight motions4 ,not so in a moving picture4 ,for instance1 here ,i have a picture which will show you a living body in all its moving details40 ,on the screen before us was projected a huge shadowgraph of a chest and abdomen4 ,we could see the vertebrae of the spinal column1 the ribs1 and the various organs4 8,it is difficult to get a series of photographs directly from a fluorescent screen10 ,kennedy went on4 8,i overcome the difficulty by having lenses of sufficient rapidity to photograph even faint images on that screen4 ,it is better than the so-called serial method1 by which a number of separate ,x-ray pictures are taken and then pieced together and rephotographed to make the film4 ,i can focus the ,x-rays first on the screen by means of a special quartz objective which ,i have devised4 ,then ,i take the pictures4 8,here1 you see1 are the lungs in slow or rapid respiration4 ,there is the rhythmically beating heart1 distinctly pulsating in perfect outline4 ,there is the liver1 moving up and down with the diaphragm1 the intestines1 and the stomach4 ,you can see the bones moving with the limbs1 as well as the inner visceral life4 ,all that is hidden to the eye by the flesh is now made visible in striking manner40 ,never have ,i seen an audience at the 8movies0 so thrilled as we were now1 as ,kennedy swayed our interest at his will4 ,i had been dividing my attention between ,kennedy and the extraordinary beauty of the famous ,russian dancer4 ,i forgot ,anginette ,phelps entirely4 ,kennedy placed another film in the holder4 8,you are now looking into the body of ,montague ,phelps10 he announced suddenly4 ,we leaned forward eagerly4 ,mrs4 ,phelps gave a half-suppressed gasp4 ,what was the secret hidden in it8 ,there was the stomach1 a curved sack something like a bagpipe or a badly made boot1 with a tiny canal at the toe connecting it with the small intestine4 ,there were the heart and lungs4 8,i have rendered the stomach visible10 resumed ,kennedy1 8made it #8metallic1' so to speak1 by injecting a solution of bismuth in buttermilk1 the usual method1 by which it becomes more impervious to the ,x-rays and hence darker in the skiagraph4 ,i took these pictures not at the rate of fourteen or so a second1 like the others1 but at intervals of a few seconds4 ,i did that so that1 when ,i run them off1 ,i get a sort of compressed moving picture4 ,what you see in a short space of time actually took much longer to occur4 ,i could have either kind of picture1 but ,i prefer the latter4 8,for1 you will take notice that there is movement here--of the heart1 of the lungs1 of the stomach--faint1 imperceptible under ordinary circumstances1 but nevertheless1 movement40 ,he was pointing at the lungs4 8,a single peristaltic contraction takes place normally in a very few seconds4 ,here it takes minutes4 ,and the stomach4 ,notice what the bismuth mixture shows4 ,there is a very slow series of regular wave-contractions from the fundus to the pylorus4 ,ordinarily one wave takes ten seconds to traverse it2 here it is so slow as almost to be unnoticed40 ,what was the implication of his startling1 almost gruesome1 discovery8 ,i saw it clearly1 yet hung on his words1 afraid to admit even to myself the logical interpretation of what ,i saw4 8,reconstruct the case10 continued ,craig excitedly4 8,mr4 ,phelps1 always a bon vivant and now so situated by marriage that he must be so1 comes back to ,america to find his personal fortune--gone4 8,what was left8 ,he did as many have done4 ,he took out a new large policy on his life4 ,how was he to profit by it8 ,others have committed suicide1 have died to win4 ,cases are common now where men have ended their lives under such circumstances by swallowing bichloride-of-mercury tablets1 a favourite method1 it seems1 lately4 8,but ,phelps did not want to die to win4 ,life was too sweet to him4 ,he had another scheme40 ,kennedy dropped his voice4 8,one of the most fascinating problems in speculation as to the future of the race under the influence of science is that of suspended animation4 ,the usual attitude is one of reserve or scepticism4 ,there is no necessity for it4 ,records exist of cases where vital functions have been practically suspended1 with no food and little air4 ,every day science is getting closer to the control of metabolism4 ,in the trance the body functions are so slowed as to simulate death4 ,you have heard of the ,indian fakirs who bury themselves alive and are dug up days later8 ,you have doubted it4 ,but there is nothing improbable in it4 8,experiments have been made with toads which have been imprisoned in porous rock where they could get the necessary air4 ,they have lived for months in a stupor4 ,in impervious rock they have died4 ,frozen fish can revive2 bears and other animals hibernate4 ,there are all gradations from ordinary sleep to the torpor of death4 ,science can slow down almost to a standstill the vital processes so that excretions disappear and respiration and heart-beat are almost nil4 8,what the ,indian fakir does in a cataleptic condition may be duplicated4 ,it is not incredible that they may possess some vegetable extract by which they perform their as yet unexplained feats of prolonged living burial4 ,for1 if an animal free from disease is subjected to the action of some chemical and physical agencies which have the property of reducing to the extreme limit the motor forces and nervous stimulus1 the body of even a warm-blooded animal may be brought down to a condition so closely resembling death that the most careful examination may fail to detect any signs of life4 ,the heart will continue working regularly at low tension1 supplying muscles and other parts with sufficient blood to sustain molecular life1 and the stomach would naturally react to artificial stimulus4 ,at any time before decomposition of tissue has set in1 the heart might be made to resume its work and life come back4 8,phelps had travelled extensively4 ,in ,siberia he must undoubtedly have heard of the ,buriats1 a tribe of natives who hibernate1 almost like the animals1 during the winters1 succumbing to a long sleep known as the #8leshka4' ,he must have heard of the experiments of ,professor ,bakhmetieff1 who studied the ,buriats and found that they subsisted on foods rich in glycogen1 a substance in the liver which science has discovered makes possible life during suspended animation4 ,he must have heard of #8anabiose1' as the famous ,russian calls it1 by which consciousness can be totally removed and respiration and digestion cease almost completely40 8,but--the body--is gone60 some one interrupted4 ,i turned4 ,it was ,dana ,phelps1 now leaning forward in wide-eyed excitement4 8,yes10 exclaimed ,craig4 8,time was passing rapidly4 ,the insurance had not been paid4 ,he had expected to be revived and to disappear with ,anginette ,phelps long before this4 ,should the confederates of ,phelps wait8 ,they did not dare4 ,to wait longer might be to sacrifice him1 if indeed they had not taken a long chance already4 ,besides1 you yourself had your suspicions and had written the insurance company hinting at murder40 ,dana nodded1 involuntarily confessing4 8,you were watching them1 as well as the insurance investigator1 ,mr4 ,andrews4 ,it was an awful dilemma4 ,what was to be done8 ,he must be resuscitated at any risk4 8,ah--an idea6 ,rifle the grave--that was the way to solve it4 ,that would still leave it possible to collect the insurance1 too4 ,the blackmail letter about the five thousand dollars was only a blind1 to lay on the mythical ,black ,hand the blame for the desecration4 ,brought into light1 humidity1 and warmth1 the body would recover consciousness and the life-functions resume their normal state after the anabiotic coma into which ,phelps had drugged himself4 8,but the very first night the supposed ghouls were discovered4 ,dana ,phelps1 already suspicious regarding the death of his brother1 wondering at the lack of sentiment which ,mrs4 ,phelps showed1 since she felt that her husband was not really dead--,dana was there4 ,his suspicions were confirmed1 he thought4 ,montague had been1 in reality1 murdered1 and his murderers were now making away with the evidence4 ,he fought with the ghouls1 yet apparently1 in the darkness1 he did not discover their identity4 ,the struggle was bitter1 but they were two to one4 ,dana was bitten by one of them4 ,here are the marks of teeth--teeth--of a woman40 ,anginette ,phelps was sobbing convulsively4 ,she had risen and was facing ,doctor ,forden with outstretched hands4 8,tell them60 she cried wildly4 ,forden seemed to have maintained his composure only by a superhuman effort4 8,the--body is--at my office10 he said1 as we faced him with deathlike stillness4 8,phelps had told us to get him within ten days4 ,we did get him1 finally4 ,gentlemen1 you1 who were seeking murderers1 are1 in effect1 murderers4 ,you kept us away two days too long4 ,it was too late4 ,we could not revive him4 ,phelps is really dead60 8,the deuce60 exclaimed ,andrews1 8the policy is incontestible60 ,as he turned to us in disgust1 his eyes fell on ,anginette ,phelps1 sobered down by the terrible tragedy and nearly a physical wreck from real grief4 8,still10 he added hastily1 8we'll pay without a protest40 ,she did not even hear him4 ,it seemed that the butterfly in her was crushed1 as ,dr4 ,forden and ,miss ,tracy gently led her away4 ,they had all left1 and the laboratory was again in its normal state of silence1 except for the occasional step of ,kennedy as he stowed away the apparatus he had used4 8,i must say that ,i was one of the most surprised in the room at the outcome of that case10 ,i confessed at length4 8,i fully expected an arrest40 ,he said nothing1 but went on methodically restoring his apparatus to its proper place4 8,what a peculiar life you lead1 ,craig10 ,i pursued reflectively4 8,one day it is a case that ends with such a bright spot in our lives as the recollection of the ,shirleys2 the next goes to the other extreme of gruesomeness and one can hardly think about it without a shudder4 ,and then1 through it all1 you go with the high speed power of a racing motor40 8,that last case appealed to me1 like many others10 he ruminated1 8just because it was so unusual1 so gruesome1 as you call it40 ,he reached into the pocket of his coat1 hung over the back of a chair4 8,now1 here's another most unusual case1 apparently4 ,it begins1 really1 at the other end1 so to speak1 with the conviction1 begins at the very place where we detectives send a man as the last act of our little dramas40 8,what80 ,i gasped1 8another case before even this one is fairly cleaned up8 ,craig--you are impossible4 ,you get worse instead of better40 8,read it10 he said1 simply4 ,kennedy handed me a letter in the angular hand affected by many women4 ,it was dated at ,sing ,sing1 or rather ,ossining4 ,craig seemed to appreciate the surprise which my face must have betrayed at the curious combination of circumstances4 8,nearly always there is the wife or mother of a condemned man who lives in the shadow of the prison10 he remarked quietly1 adding1 8where she can look down at the grim walls1 hoping and fearing40 ,i said nothing1 for the letter spoke for itself4 ,i have read of your success as a scientific detective and hope that you will pardon me for writing to you1 but it is a matter of life or death for one who is dearer to me than all the world4 ,perhaps you recall reading of the trial and conviction of my husband1 ,sanford ,godwin1 at ,east ,point4 ,the case did not attract much attention in ,new ,york papers1 although he was defended by an able lawyer from the city4 ,since the trial1 ,i have taken up my residence here in ,ossining in order to be near him4 ,as ,i write ,i can see the cold1 grey walls of the state prison that holds all that is dear to me4 ,day after day1 ,i have watched and waited1 hoped against hope4 ,the courts are so slow1 and lawyers are so technical4 ,there have been executions since ,i came here1 too--and ,i shudder at them4 ,will this appeal be denied1 also8 ,my husband was accused of murdering by poison--hemlock1 they alleged--his adoptive parent1 the retired merchant1 ,parker ,godwin1 whose family name he took when he was a boy4 ,after the death of the old man1 a later will was discovered in which my husband's inheritance was reduced to a small annuity4 ,the other heirs1 the ,elmores1 asserted1 and the state made out its case on the assumption1 that the new will furnished a motive for killing old ,mr4 ,godwin1 and that only by accident had it been discovered4 ,sanford is innocent4 ,he could not have done it4 ,it is not in him to do such a thing4 ,i am only a woman1 but about some things ,i know more than all the lawyers and scientists1 and ,i ,,know that he is innocent4 ,i cannot write all4 ,my heart is too full4 ,cannot you come and advise me8 ,even if you cannot take up the case to which ,i have devoted my life1 tell me what to do4 ,i am enclosing a check for expenses1 all ,i can spare at present4 ,sincerely yours1 ,,nella ,,godwin4 8,are you going80 ,i asked1 watching ,kennedy as he tapped the check thoughtfully on the desk4 8,i can hardly resist an appeal like that10 he replied1 absently replacing the check in the envelope with the letter4 ,,xxiii ,,the ,,death ,,house ,in the early forenoon1 we were on our way by train 8up the river0 to ,sing ,sing1 where1 at the station1 a line of old-fashioned cabs and red-faced cabbies greeted us1 for the town itself is hilly4 ,the house to which we had been directed was on the hill1 and from its windows one could look down on the barracks-like pile of stone with the evil little black-barred slits of windows1 below and perhaps a quarter of a mile away4 ,there was no need to be told what it was4 ,its very atmosphere breathed the word 8prison40 ,even the ugly clutter of tall-chimneyed workshops did not destroy it4 ,every stone1 every grill1 every glint of a sentry's rifle spelt 8prison40 ,mrs4 ,godwin was a pale1 slight little woman1 in whose face shone an indomitable spirit1 unconquered even by the slow torture of her lonely vigil4 ,except for such few hours that she had to engage in her simple household duties1 with now and then a short walk in the country1 she was always watching that bleak stone house of atonement4 ,yet1 though her spirit was unconquered1 it needed no physician to tell one that the dimming of the lights at the prison on the morning set for the execution would fill two graves instead of one4 ,for she had come to know that this sudden dimming of the corridor lights1 and then their almost as sudden flaring-up1 had a terrible meaning1 well known to the men inside4 ,hers was no less an agony than that of the men in the curtained cells1 since she had learned that when the lights grow dim at dawn at ,sing ,sing1 it means that the electric power has been borrowed for just that little while to send a body straining against the straps of the electric chair1 snuffing out the life of a man4 ,to-day she had evidently been watching in both directions1 watching eagerly the carriages as they climbed the hill1 as well as in the direction of the prison4 8,how can ,i ever thank you1 ,professor ,kennedy10 she greeted us at the door1 keeping back with difficulty the tears that showed how much it meant to have any one interest himself in her husband's case4 ,there was that gentleness about ,mrs4 ,godwin that comes only to those who have suffered much4 8,it has been a long fight10 she began1 as we talked in her modest little sitting-room1 into which the sun streamed brightly with no thought of the cold shadows in the grim building below4 8,oh1 and such a hard1 heartbreaking fight6 ,often it seems as if we had exhausted every means at our disposal1 and yet we shall never give up4 ,why cannot we make the world see our case as we see it8 ,everything seems to have conspired against us--and yet ,i cannot1 ,i will not believe that the law and the science that have condemned him are the last words in law and science40 8,you said in your letter that the courts were so slow and the lawyers so--0 8,yes1 so cold1 so technical4 ,they do not seem to realise that a human life is at stake4 ,with them it is almost like a game in which we are the pawns4 ,and sometimes ,i fear1 in spite of what the lawyers say1 that without some new evidence1 it--it will go hard with him40 8,you have not given up hope in the appeal80 asked ,kennedy gently4 8,it is merely on technicalities of the law10 she replied with quiet fortitude1 8that is1 as nearly as ,i can make out from the language of the papers4 ,our lawyer is ,salo ,kahn1 of the big firm of criminal lawyers1 ,smith1 ,kahn40 8,conine10 mused ,kennedy1 half to himself4 ,i could not tell whether he was thinking of what he repeated or of the little woman4 8,yes1 the active principle of hemlock10 she went on4 8,that was what the experts discovered1 they swore4 ,in the pure state1 ,i believe1 it is more poisonous than anything except the cyanides4 ,and it was absolutely scientific evidence4 ,they repeated the tests in court4 ,there was no doubt of it4 ,but1 oh1 he did not do it4 ,some one else did it4 ,he did not--he could not40 ,kennedy said nothing for a few minutes1 but from his tone when he did speak it was evident that he was deeply touched4 8,since our marriage we lived with old ,mr4 ,godwin in the historic ,godwin ,house at ,east ,point10 she resumed1 as he renewed his questioning4 8,sanford--that was my husband's real last name until he came as a boy to work for ,mr4 ,godwin in the office of the factory and was adopted by his employer--,sanford and ,i kept house for him4 8,about a year ago he began to grow feeble and seldom went to the factory1 which ,sanford managed for him4 ,one night ,mr4 ,godwin was taken suddenly ill4 ,i don't know how long he had been ill before we heard him groaning1 but he died almost before we could summon a doctor4 ,there was really nothing suspicious about it1 but there had always been a great deal of jealousy of my husband in the town and especially among the few distant relatives of ,mr4 ,godwin4 ,what must have started as an idle1 gossipy rumour developed into a serious charge that my husband had hastened his old guardian's death4 8,the original will--,,the will1 ,i call it--had been placed in the safe of the factory several years ago4 ,but when the gossip in the town grew bitter1 one day when we were out1 some private detectives entered the house with a warrant--and they did actually find a will1 another will about which we knew nothing1 dated later than the first and hidden with some papers in the back of a closet1 or sort of fire proof box1 built into the wall of the library4 ,the second will was identical with the first in language except that its terms were reversed and instead of being the residuary legatee1 ,sanford was given a comparatively small annuity1 and the ,elmores were made residuary legatees instead of annuitants40 8,and who are these ,elmores80 asked ,kennedy curiously4 8,there are three1 two grandnephews and a grandniece1 ,bradford1 ,lambert1 and their sister ,miriam40 8,and they live--0 8,in ,east ,point1 also4 ,old ,mr4 ,godwin was not very friendly with his sister1 whose grandchildren they were4 ,they were the only other heirs living1 and although ,sanford never had anything to do with it1 ,i think they always imagined that he tried to prejudice the old man against them40 8,i shall want to see the ,elmores1 or at least some one who represents them1 as well as the district attorney up there who conducted the case4 ,but now that ,i am here1 ,i wonder if it is possible that ,i could bring any influence to bear to see your husband80 ,mrs4 ,godwin sighed4 8,once a month10 she replied1 8,i leave this window1 walk to the prison1 where the warden is very kind to me1 and then ,i can see ,sanford4 ,of course there are bars between us besides the regular screen4 ,but ,i can have an hour's talk1 and in those talks he has described to me exactly every detail of his life in the--the prison4 ,we have even agreed on certain hours when we think of each other4 ,in those hours ,i know almost what he is thinking40 ,she paused to collect herself4 8,perhaps there may be some way if ,i plead with the warden4 ,perhaps--you may be considered his counsel now--you may see him40 ,a half hour later we sat in the big registry room of the prison and talked with the big-hearted1 big-handed warden4 ,every argument that ,kennedy could summon was brought to bear4 ,he even talked over long distance with the lawyers in ,new ,york4 ,at last the rules were relaxed and ,kennedy was admitted on some technicality as counsel4 ,counsel can see the condemned as often as necessary4 ,we were conducted down a flight of steps and past huge steel-barred doors1 along corridors and through the regular prison until at last we were in what the prison officials called the section for the condemned4 ,every one else calls this secret heart of the grim place1 the death house4 ,it is made up of two rows of cells1 some eighteen or twenty in all1 a little more modern in construction than the twelve hundred archaic caverns that pass for cells in the main prison4 ,at each end of the corridor sat a guard1 armed1 with eyes never off the rows of cells day or night4 ,in the wall1 on one side1 was a door--the little green door--the door from the death house to the death chamber4 ,while ,kennedy was talking to the prisoner1 a guard volunteered to show me the death chamber and the 8chair40 ,no other furniture was there in the little brick house of one room except this awful chair1 of yellow oak with broad1 leather straps4 ,there it stood1 the sole article in the brightly varnished room of about twenty-five feet square with walls of clean blue1 this grim acolyte of modern scientific death4 ,there were the wet electrodes that are fastened to the legs through slits in the trousers at the calves2 above was the pipe-like fixture1 like a gruesome helmet of leather that fits over the head1 carrying the other electrode4 ,back of the condemned was the switch which lets loose a lethal store of energy1 and back of that the prison morgue where the bodies are taken4 ,i looked about4 ,in the wall to the left toward the death house was also a door1 on this side yellow4 ,somehow ,i could not get from my mind the fascination of that door--the threshold of the grave4 ,meanwhile ,kennedy sat in the little cage and talked with the convicted man across the three-foot distance between cell and screen4 ,i did not see him at that time1 but ,kennedy repeated afterward what passed1 and it so impressed me that ,i will set it down as if ,i had been present4 ,sanford ,godwin was a tall1 ashen-faced man1 in the prison pallor of whose face was written the determination of despair1 a man in whose blue eyes was a queer1 half-insane light of hope4 ,one knew that if it had not been for the little woman at the window at the top of the hill1 the hope would probably long ago have faded4 ,but this man knew she was always there1 thinking1 watching1 eagerly planning in aid of any new scheme in the long fight for freedom4 8,the alkaloid was present1 that is certain10 he told ,kennedy4 8,my wife has told you that4 ,it was scientifically proved4 ,there is no use in attacking that40 ,later on he remarked3 8,perhaps you think it strange that one in the very shadow of the death chair0--the word stuck in his throat--8can talk so impersonally of his own case4 ,sometimes ,i think it is not my case1 but some one else's4 ,and then--that door40 ,he shuddered and turned away from it4 ,on one side was life1 such as it was2 on the other1 instant death4 ,no wonder he pleaded with ,kennedy4 8,why1 ,walter10 exclaimed ,craig1 as we walked back to the warden's office to telephone to town for a car to take us up to ,east ,point1 8whenever he looks out of that cage he sees it4 ,he may close his eyes--and still see it4 ,when he exercises1 he sees it4 ,thinking by day and dreaming by night1 it is always there4 ,think of the terrible hours that man must pass1 knowing of the little woman eating her heart out4 ,is he really guilty8 ,i must find out4 ,if he is not1 ,i never saw a greater tragedy than this slow1 remorseless approach of death1 in that daily1 hourly shadow of the little green door40 ,east ,point was a queer old town on the upper ,hudson1 with a varying assortment of industries4 ,just outside1 the old house of the ,godwins stood on a bluff overlooking the majestic river4 ,kennedy had wanted to see it before any one suspected his mission1 and a note from ,mrs4 ,godwin to a friend had been sufficient4 ,carefully he went over the deserted and now half-wrecked house1 for the authorities had spared nothing in their search for poison1 even going over the garden and the lawns in the hope of finding some of the poisonous shrub1 hemlock1 which it was contended had been used to put an end to ,mr4 ,godwin4 ,as yet nothing had been done to put the house in order again and1 as we walked about1 we noticed a pile of old tins in the yard which had not been removed4 ,kennedy turned them over with his stick4 ,then he picked one up and examined it attentively4 8,h-m--a blown can10 he remarked4 8,blown80 ,i repeated4 8,yes4 ,when the contents of a tin begin to deteriorate they sometimes give off gases which press out the ends of the tin4 ,you can see how these ends bulge40 ,our next visit was to the district attorney1 a young man1 ,gordon ,kilgore1 who seemed not unwilling to discuss the case frankly4 8,i want to make arrangements for disinterring the body10 explained ,kennedy4 8,would you fight such a move80 8,not at all1 not at all10 he answered brusquely4 8,simply make the arrangements through ,kahn4 ,i shall interpose no objection4 ,it is the strongest1 most impregnable part of the case1 the discovery of the poison4 ,if you can break that down you will do more than any one else has dared to hope4 ,but it can't be done4 ,the proof was too strong4 ,of course it is none of my business1 but ,i'd advise some other point of attack40 ,i must confess to a feeling of disappointment when ,kennedy announced after leaving ,kilgore that1 for the present1 there was nothing more to be done at ,east ,point until ,kahn had made the arrangements for reopening the grave4 ,we motored back to ,ossining1 and ,kennedy tried to be reassuring to ,mrs4 ,godwin4 8,by the way10 he remarked1 just before we left1 8you used a good deal of canned goods at the ,godwin house1 didn't you80 8,yes1 but not more than other people1 ,i think10 she said4 8,do you recall using any that were--well1 perhaps not exactly spoiled1 but that had anything peculiar about them80 8,i remember once we thought we found some cans that seemed to have been attacked by mice--at least they smelt so1 though how mice could get through a tin can we couldn't see40 8,mice80 queried ,kennedy4 8,had a mousey smell8 ,that's interesting4 ,well1 ,mrs4 ,godwin1 keep up a good heart4 ,depend on me4 ,what you have told me to-day has made me more than interested in your case4 ,i shall waste no time in letting you know when anything encouraging develops40 ,craig had never had much patience with red tape that barred the way to the truth1 yet there were times when law and legal procedure had to be respected1 no matter how much they hampered1 and this was one of them4 ,the next day the order was obtained permitting the opening again of the grave of old ,mr4 ,godwin4 ,the body was exhumed1 and ,kennedy set about his examination of what secrets it might hide4 ,meanwhile1 it seemed to me that the suspense was terrible4 ,kennedy was moving slowly1 ,i thought4 ,not even the courts themselves could have been more deliberate4 ,also1 he was keeping much to himself4 ,still1 for another whole day1 there was the slow1 inevitable approach of the thing that now1 ,i1 too1 had come to dread--the handing down of the final decision on the appeal4 ,yet what could ,craig do otherwise1 ,i asked myself4 ,i had become deeply interested in the case by this time and spent the time reading all the evidence1 hundreds of pages of it4 ,it was cold1 hard1 brutal1 scientific fact1 and as ,i read ,i felt that hope faded for the ashen-faced man and the pallid little woman4 ,it seemed the last word in science4 ,was there any way of escape8 ,impatient as ,i was1 ,i often wondered what must have been the suspense of those to whom the case meant everything4 8,how are the tests coming along80 ,i ventured one night1 after ,kahn had arranged for the uncovering of the grave4 ,it was now two days since ,kennedy had gone up to ,east ,point to superintend the exhumation and had returned to the city with the materials which had caused him to keep later hours in the laboratory than ,i had ever known even the indefatigable ,craig to spend on a stretch before4 ,he shook his head doubtfully4 8,walter10 he admitted1 8,i'm afraid ,i have reached the limit on the line of investigation ,i had planned at the start40 ,i looked at him in dismay4 8,what then80 ,i managed to gasp4 8,i am going up to ,east ,point again to-morrow to look over that house and start a new line4 ,you can go40 ,no urging was needed1 and the following day saw us again on the ground4 ,the house1 as ,i have said1 had been almost torn to pieces in the search for the will and the poison evidence4 ,as before1 we went to it unannounced1 and this time we had no difficulty in getting in4 ,kennedy1 who had brought with him a large package1 made his way directly to a sort of drawing-room next to the large library1 in the closet of which the will had been discovered4 ,he unwrapped the package and took from it a huge brace and bit1 the bit a long1 thin1 murderous looking affair such as might have come from a burglar's kit4 ,i regarded it much in that light4 8,what's the lay80 ,i asked1 as he tapped over the walls to ascertain of just what they were composed4 ,without a word he was now down on his knees1 drilling a hole in the plaster and lath4 ,when he struck an obstruction he stopped1 removed the bit1 inserted another1 and began again4 8,are you going to put in a detectaphone80 ,i asked again4 ,he shook his head4 8,a detectaphone wouldn't be of any use here10 he replied4 8,no one is going to do any talking in that room40 ,again the brace and bit were at work4 ,at last the wall had been penetrated1 and he quickly removed every trace from the other side that would have attracted attention to a little hole in an obscure corner of the flowered wall-paper4 ,next1 he drew out what looked like a long putty-blower1 perhaps a foot long and three-eighths of an inch in diameter4 8,what's that80 ,i asked1 as he rose after carefully inserting it4 8,look through it10 he replied simply1 still at work on some other apparatus he had brought4 ,i looked4 ,in spite of the smallness of the opening at the other end1 ,i was amazed to find that ,i could see nearly the whole room on the other side of the wall4 8,it's a detectascope10 he explained1 8a tube with a fish-eye lens which ,i had an expert optician make for me40 8,a fish-eye lens80 ,i repeated4 8,yes4 ,the focus may be altered in range so that any one in the room may be seen and recognised and any action of his may be detected4 ,the original of this was devised by ,gaillard ,smith1 the adapter of the detectaphone4 ,the instrument is something like the cytoscope1 which the doctors use to look into the human interior4 ,now1 look through it again4 ,do you see the closet80 ,again ,i looked4 8,yes10 ,i said1 8but will one of us have to watch here all the time80 ,he had been working on a black box in the meantime1 and now he began to set it up1 adjusting it to the hole in the wall which he enlarged on our side4 8,no1 that is my own improvement on it4 ,you remember once we used a quick-shutter camera with an electric attachment1 which moved the shutter on the contact of a person with an object in the room8 ,well1 this camera has that quick shutter4 ,but1 in addition1 ,i have adapted to the detectascope an invention by ,professor ,robert ,wood1 of ,johns ,hopkins4 ,he has devised a fish-eye camera that #8sees' over a radius of one hundred and eighty degrees--not only straight in front1 but over half a circle1 every point in that room4 8,you know the refracting power of a drop of water4 ,since it is a globe1 it refracts the light which reaches it from all directions4 ,if it is placed like the lens of a camera1 as ,dr4 ,wood tried it1 so that one-half of it catches the light1 all the light caught will be refracted through it4 ,fishes1 too1 have a wide range of vision4 ,some have eyes that see over half a circle4 ,so the lens gets its name4 ,ordinary cameras1 because of the flatness of their lenses1 have a range of only a few degrees1 the widest in use1 ,i believe1 taking in only ninety-six1 or a little more than a quarter of a circle4 ,so1 you see1 my detectascope has a range almost twice as wide as that of any other40 ,though ,i did not know what he expected to discover and knew that it was useless to ask1 the thing seemed very interesting4 ,craig did not pause1 however1 to enlarge on the new machine1 but gathered up his tools and announced that our next step would be a visit to a lawyer whom the ,elmores had retained as their personal counsel to look after their interests1 now that the district attorney seemed to hare cleared up the criminal end of the case4 ,hollins was one of the prominent attorneys of ,east ,point1 and before the election of ,kilgore as prosecutor had been his partner4 ,unlike ,kilgore1 we found him especially uncommunicative and inclined to resent our presence in the case as intruders4 ,the interview did not seem to me to be productive of anything4 ,in fact1 it seemed as if ,craig were giving ,hollins much more than he was getting4 8,i shall be in town over night10 remarked ,craig4 8,in fact1 ,i am thinking of going over the library up at the ,godwin house soon1 very carefully40 ,he spoke casually4 8,there may be1 you know1 some finger-prints on the walls around that closet which might prove interesting40 ,a quick look from ,hollins was the only answer4 ,in fact1 it was seldom that he uttered more than a monosyllable as we talked over the various aspects of the case4 ,a half-hour later1 when he had left and had gone to the hotel1 ,i asked ,kennedy suspiciously1 8,why did you expose your hand to ,hollins1 ,craig80 ,he laughed4 8,oh1 ,walter10 he remonstrated1 8don't you know that it is nearly always useless to look for finger-prints1 except under some circumstances1 even a few days afterward8 ,this is months1 not days4 ,why on iron and steel they last with tolerable certainty only a short time1 and not much longer on silver1 glass1 or wood4 ,but they are seldom permanent unless they are made with ink or blood or something that leaves a more or less indelible mark4 ,that was a #8plant4'0 8,but what do you expect to gain by it80 8,well10 he replied enigmatically1 8no one is necessarily honest40 ,it was late in the afternoon when ,kennedy again visited the ,godwin house and examined the camera4 ,without a word he pulled the detectascope from the wall and carried the whole thing to the developing-room of the local photographer4 ,there he set to work on the film and ,i watched him in silence4 ,he seemed very much excited as he watched the film develop1 until at last he held it up1 dripping1 to the red light4 8,some one has entered that room this afternoon and attempted to wipe off the walls and woodwork of that closet1 as ,i expected10 he exclaimed4 8,who was it80 ,i asked1 leaning over4 ,kennedy said nothing1 but pointed to a figure on the film4 ,i bent closer4 ,it was the figure of a woman4 8,miriam60 ,i exclaimed in surprise4 ,,xxiv ,,the ,,final ,,day ,i looked aghast at him4 ,if it had been either ,bradford or ,lambert1 both of whom we had come to know since ,kennedy had interested himself in the case1 or even ,hollins or ,kilgore1 ,i should not have been surprised4 ,but ,miriam6 8,how could she have any connection with the case80 ,i asked incredulously4 ,kennedy did not attempt to explain4 8,it is a fatal mistake1 ,walter1 for a detective to assume that he knows what anybody would do in any given circumstances4 ,the only safe course for him is to find out what the persons in question did do4 ,people are always doing the unexpected4 ,this is a case of it1 as you see4 ,i am merely trying to get back at facts4 ,come2 ,i think we might as well not stay over night1 after all4 ,i should like to drop off on the way back to the city to see ,mrs4 ,godwin40 ,as we rode up the hill ,i was surprised to see that there was no one at the window1 nor did any one seem to pay attention to our knocking at the door4 ,kennedy turned the knob quickly and strode in4 ,seated in a chair1 as white as a wraith from the grave1 was ,mrs4 ,godwin1 staring straight ahead1 seeing nothing1 hearing nothing4 8,what's the matter80 demanded ,kennedy1 leaping to her side and grasping her icy hand4 ,the stare on her face seemed to change slightly as she recognised him4 8,walter--some water--and a little brandy--if there is any4 ,tell me--what has happened80 ,from her lap a yellow telegram had fluttered to the floor1 but before he could pick it up1 she gasped1 8,the appeal--it has been denied40 ,kennedy picked up the paper4 ,it was a message1 unsigned1 but not from ,kahn1 as its wording and in fact the circumstances plainly showed4 8,the execution is set for the week beginning the fifth10 she continued1 in the same hollow1 mechanical voice4 8,my ,god--that's next ,monday60 ,she had risen now and was pacing the room4 8,no6 ,i'm not going to faint4 ,i wish ,i could4 ,i wish ,i could cry4 ,i wish ,i could do something4 ,oh1 those ,elmores--they must have sent it4 ,no one would have been so cruel but they40 ,she stopped and gazed wildly out of the window at the prison4 ,neither of us knew what to say for the moment4 8,many times from this window10 she cried1 8,i have seen a man walk out of that prison gate4 ,i always watch to see what he does1 though ,i know it is no use4 ,if he stands in the free air1 stops short1 and looks up suddenly1 taking a long look at every house--,i hope4 ,but he always turns for a quick1 backward look at the prison and goes half running down the hill4 ,they always stop in that fashion1 when the steel door opens outward4 ,yet ,i have always looked and hoped4 ,but ,i can hope no more--no more4 ,the last chance is gone40 8,no--not the last chance10 exclaimed ,craig1 springing to her side lest she should fall4 ,then he added gently1 8,you must come with me to ,east ,point--immediately40 8,what--leave him here--alone--in the last days8 ,no--no--no4 ,never4 ,i must see him4 ,i wonder if they have told him yet40 ,it was evident that she had lost faith in ,kennedy1 in everybody1 now4 8,mrs4 ,godwin10 he urged4 8,come--you must4 ,it is a last chance40 ,eagerly he was pouring out the story of the discovery of the afternoon by the little detectascope4 8,miriam80 she repeated1 dazed4 8,she--know anything--it can't be4 ,no--don't raise a false hope now40 8,it is the last chance10 he urged again4 8,come4 ,there is not an hour to waste now40 ,there was no delay1 no deliberation about ,kennedy now4 ,he had been forced out into the open by the course of events1 and he meant to take advantage of every precious moment4 ,down the hill our car sped to the town1 with ,mrs4 ,godwin still protesting1 but hardly realising what was going on4 ,regardless of tolls1 ,kennedy called up his laboratory in ,new ,york and had two of his most careful students pack up the stuff which he described minutely to be carried to ,east ,point immediately by train4 ,kahn1 too1 was at last found and summoned to meet us there also4 ,miles never seemed longer than they did to us as we tore over the country from ,ossining to ,east ,point1 a silent party1 yet keyed up by an excitement that none of us had ever felt before4 ,impatiently we awaited the arrival of the men from ,kennedy's laboratory1 while we made ,mrs4 ,godwin as comfortable as possible in a room at the hotel4 ,in one of the parlours ,kennedy was improvising a laboratory as best he could4 ,meanwhile1 ,kahn had arrived1 and together we were seeking those whose connection with1 or interest in1 the case made necessary their presence4 ,it was well along toward midnight before the hasty conference had been gathered2 besides ,mrs4 ,godwin1 ,salo ,kahn1 and ourselves1 the three ,elmores1 ,kilgore1 and ,hollins4 ,strange though it was1 the room seemed to me almost to have assumed the familiar look of the laboratory in ,new ,york4 ,there was the same clutter of tubes and jars on the tables1 but above all that same feeling of suspense in the air which ,i had come to associate with the clearing up of a case4 ,there was something else in the air1 too4 ,it was a peculiar mousey smell1 disagreeable1 and one which made it a relief to have ,kennedy begin in a low voice to tell why he had called us together so hastily4 8,i shall start10 announced ,kennedy1 8at the point where the state left off--with the proof that ,mr4 ,godwin died of conine1 or hemlock poisoning4 ,conine1 as every chemist knows1 has a long and well-known history4 ,it was the first alkaloid to be synthesised4 ,here is a sample1 this colourless1 oily fluid4 ,no doubt you have noticed the mousey odour in this room4 ,as little as one part of conine to fifty thousand of water gives off that odour--it is characteristic4 8,i have proceeded with extraordinary caution in my investigation of this case10 he went on4 8,in fact1 there would have been no value in it1 otherwise1 for the experts for the people seem to have established the presence of conine in the body with absolute certainty40 ,he paused and we waited expectantly4 8,i have had the body exhumed and have repeated the tests4 ,the alkaloid which ,i discovered had given precisely the same results as in their tests40 ,my heart sank4 ,what was he doing--convicting the man over again8 8,there is one other test which ,i tried10 he continued1 8but which ,i can not take time to duplicate to-night4 ,it was testified at the trial that conine1 the active principle of hemlock1 is intensely poisonous4 ,no chemical antidote is known4 ,a fifth of a grain has serious results2 a drop is fatal4 ,an injection of a most minute quantity of real conine will kill a mouse1 for instance1 almost instantly4 ,but the conine which ,i have isolated in the body is inert60 ,it came like a bombshell to the prosecution1 so bewildering was the discovery4 8,inert80 cried ,kilgore and ,hollins almost together4 8,it can't be4 ,you are making sport of the best chemical experts that money could obtain4 ,inert8 ,read the evidence--read the books40 8,on the contrary10 resumed ,craig1 ignoring the interruption1 8all the reactions obtained by the experts have been duplicated by me4 ,but1 in addition1 ,i tried this one test which they did not try4 ,i repeat3 the conine isolated in the body is inert40 ,we were too perplexed to question him4 8,alkaloids10 he continued quietly1 8as you know1 have names that end in #8in' or #8ine'--morphine1 strychnine1 and so on4 ,now there are two kinds of alkaloids which are sometimes called vegetable and animal4 ,moreover1 there is a large class of which we are learning much which are called the ptomaines--from ptoma1 a corpse4 ,ptomaine poisoning1 as every one knows1 results when we eat food that has begun to decay4 8,ptomaines are chemical compounds of an alkaloidal nature formed in protein substances during putrefaction4 ,they are purely chemical bodies and differ from the toxins4 ,there are also what are called leucomaines1 formed in living tissues1 and when not given off by the body they produce auto-intoxication4 8,there are more than three score ptomaines1 and half of them are poisonous4 ,in fact1 illness due to eating infected foods is much more common than is generally supposed4 ,often there is only one case in a number of those eating the food1 due merely to that person's inability to throw off the poison4 ,such cases are difficult to distinguish4 ,they are usually supposed to be gastro-enteritis4 ,ptomaines1 as their name shows1 are found in dead bodies4 ,they are found in all dead matter after a time1 whether it is decayed food or a decaying corpse4 8,no general reaction is known by which the ptomaines can be distinguished from the vegetable alkaloids4 ,but we know that animal alkaloids always develop either as a result of decay of food or of the decay of the body itself40 ,at one stroke ,kennedy had reopened the closed case and had placed the experts at sea4 8,i find that there is an animal conine as well as the true conine10 he hammered out4 8,the truth of this matter is that the experts have confounded vegetable conine with cadaveric conine4 ,that raises an interesting question4 ,assuming the presence of conine1 where did it come from80 ,he paused and began a new line of attack4 8,as the use of canned goods becomes more and more extensive1 ptomaine poisoning is more frequent4 ,in canning1 the cans are heated4 ,they are composed of thin sheets of iron coated with tin1 the seams pressed and soldered with a thin line of solder4 ,they are filled with cooked food1 sterilised1 and closed4 ,the bacteria are usually all killed1 but now and then1 the apparatus does not work1 and they develop in the can4 ,that results in a #8blown can'--the ends bulge a little bit4 ,on opening1 a gas escapes1 the food has a bad odour and a bad taste4 ,sometimes people say that the tin and lead poison them2 in practically all cases the poisoning is of bacterial1 not metallic1 origin4 ,mr4 ,godwin may have died of poisoning1 probably did4 ,but it was ptomaine poisoning4 ,the blown cans which ,i have discovered would indicate that40 ,i was following him closely1 yet though this seemed to explain a part of the case1 it was far from explaining all4 8,then followed10 he hurried on1 8the development of the usual ptomaines in the body itself4 ,these1 ,i may say1 had no relation to the cause of death itself4 ,the putrefactive germs began their attack4 ,whatever there may have been in the body before1 certainly they produced a cadaveric ptomaine conine4 ,for many animal tissues and fluids1 especially if somewhat decomposed1 yield not infrequently compounds of an oily nature with a mousey odour1 fuming with hydrochloric acid and in short1 acting just like conine4 ,there is ample evidence1 ,i have found1 that conine or a substance possessing most1 if not all1 of its properties is at times actually produced in animal tissues by decomposition4 ,and the fact is1 ,i believe1 that a number of cases have arisen1 in which the poisonous alkaloid was at first supposed to have been discovered which were really mistakes40 ,the idea was startling in the extreme4 ,here was ,kennedy1 as it were1 overturning what had been considered the last word in science as it had been laid down by the experts for the prosecution1 opinions so impregnable that courts and juries had not hesitated to condemn a man to death4 8,there have been cases10 ,craig went on solemnly1 8and ,i believe this to be one1 where death has been pronounced to have been caused by wilful administration of a vegetable alkaloid1 which toxicologists would now put down as ptomaine-poisoning cases4 ,innocent people have possibly already suffered and may in the future4 ,but medical experts--0 he laid especial stress on the word--8are much more alive to the danger of mistake than formerly4 ,this was a case where the danger was not considered1 either through carelessness1 ignorance1 or prejudice4 8,indeed1 ptomaines are present probably to a greater or less extent in every organ which is submitted to the toxicologist for examination4 ,if he is ignorant of the nature of these substances1 he may easily mistake them for vegetable alkaloids4 ,he may report a given poison present when it is not present4 ,it is even yet a new line of inquiry which has only recently been followed1 and the information is still comparatively small and inadequate4 8,it is very difficult1 perhaps impossible1 for the chemist to state absolutely that he has detected true conine4 ,before he can do it1 the symptoms and the post-mortem appearance must agree2 analysis must be made before1 not after1 decomposition sets in1 and the amount of the poison found must be sufficient to experiment with1 not merely to react to a few usual tests4 8,what the experts asserted so positively1 ,i would not dare to assert4 ,was he killed by ordinary ptomaine poisoning1 and had conine1 or rather its double1 developed first in his food along with other ptomaines that were not inert8 ,or did the cadaveric conine develop only in the body after death8 ,chemistry alone can not decide the question so glibly as the experts did4 ,further proof must be sought4 ,other sciences must come to our aid40 ,i was sitting next to ,mrs4 ,godwin4 ,as ,kennedy's words rang out1 her hand1 trembling with emotion1 pressed my arm4 ,i turned quickly to see if she needed assistance4 ,her face was radiant4 ,all the fees for big cases in the world could never have compensated ,kennedy for the mute1 unrestrained gratitude which the little woman shot at him4 ,kennedy saw it1 and in the quick shifting of his eyes to my face1 ,i read that he relied on me to take care of ,mrs4 ,godwin while he plunged again into the clearing up of the mystery4 8,i have here the will--the second one10 he snapped out1 turning and facing the others in the room4 ,craig turned a switch in an apparatus which his students had brought from ,new ,york4 ,from a tube on the table came a peculiar bluish light4 8,this10 he explained1 8is a source of ultraviolet rays4 ,they are not the bluish light which you see1 but rays contained in it which you can not see4 8,ultraviolet rays have recently been found very valuable in the examination of questioned documents4 ,by the use of a lens made of quartz covered with a thin film of metallic silver1 there has been developed a practical means of making photographs by the invisible rays of light above the spectrum--these ultraviolet rays4 ,the quartz lens is necessary1 because these rays will not pass through ordinary glass1 while the silver film acts as a screen to cut off the ordinary light rays and those below the spectrum4 ,by this means1 most white objects are photographed black and even transparent objects like glass are black4 8,i obtained the copy of this will1 but under the condition from the surrogate that absolutely nothing must be done to it to change a fibre of the paper or a line of a letter4 ,it was a difficult condition4 ,while there are chemicals which are frequently resorted to for testing the authenticity of disputed documents such as wills and deeds1 their use frequently injures or destroys the paper under test4 ,so far as ,i could determine1 the document also defied the microscope4 8,but ultraviolet photography does not affect the document tested in any way1 and it has lately been used practically in detecting forgeries4 ,i have photographed the last page of the will with its signatures1 and here it is4 ,what the eye itself can not see1 the invisible light reveals40 ,he was holding the document and the copy1 just an instant1 as if considering how to announce with best effect what he had discovered4 8,in order to unravel this mystery10 he resumed1 looking up and facing the ,elmores1 ,kilgore1 and ,hollins squarely1 8,i decided to find out whether any one had had access to that closet where the will was hidden4 ,it was long ago1 and there seemed to be little that ,i could do4 ,i knew it was useless to look for fingerprints4 8,so ,i used what we detectives now call the law of suggestion4 ,i questioned closely one who was in touch with all those who might have had such access4 ,i hinted broadly at seeking fingerprints which might lead to the identity of one who had entered the house unknown to the ,godwins1 and placed a document where private detectives would subsequently find it under suspicious circumstances4 8,naturally1 it would seem to one who was guilty of such an act1 or knew of it1 that there might1 after all1 be finger-prints4 ,i tried it4 ,i found out through this little tube1 the detectascope1 that one really entered the room after that1 and tried to wipe off any supposed finger-prints that might still remain4 ,that settled it4 ,the second will was a forgery1 and the person who entered that room so stealthily this afternoon knows that it is a forgery40 ,as ,kennedy slapped down on the table the film from his camera1 which had been concealed1 ,mrs4 ,godwin turned her now large and unnaturally bright eyes and met those of the other woman in the room4 8,oh--oh--heaven help us--me1 ,i mean60 cried ,miriam1 unable to bear the strain of the turn of events longer4 8,i knew there would be retribution--,i knew--,i knew--0 ,mrs4 ,godwin was on her feet in a moment4 8,once my intuition was not wrong though all science and law was against me10 she pleaded with ,kennedy4 ,there was a gentleness in her tone that fell like a soft rain on the surging passions of those who had wronged her so shamefully4 8,professor ,kennedy1 ,miriam could not have forged--0 ,kennedy smiled4 8,science was not against you1 ,mrs4 ,godwin4 ,ignorance was against you4 ,and your intuition does not go contrary to science this time1 either40 ,it was a splendid exhibition of fine feeling which ,kennedy waited to have impressed on the ,elmores1 as though burning it into their minds4 8,miriam ,elmore knew that her brothers had forged a will and hidden it4 ,to expose them was to convict them of a crime4 ,she kept their secret1 which was the secret of all three4 ,she even tried to hide the finger-prints which would have branded her brothers4 8,for ptomaine poisoning had unexpectedly hastened the end of old ,mr4 ,godwin4 ,then gossip and the #8scientists' did the rest4 ,it was accidental1 but ,bradford and ,lambert ,elmore were willing to let events take their course and declare genuine the forgery which they had made so skilfully1 even though it convicted an innocent man of murder and killed his faithful wife4 ,as soon as the courts can be set in motion to correct an error of science by the truth of later science1 ,sing ,sing will lose one prisoner from the death house and gain two forgers in his place40 ,mrs4 ,godwin stood before us1 radiant4 ,but as ,kennedy's last words sank into her mind1 her face clouded4 8,must--must it be an eye for an eye and a tooth for a tooth80 she pleaded eagerly4 8,must that grim prison take in others1 even if my husband goes free80 ,kennedy looked at her long and earnestly1 as if to let the beauty of her character1 trained by its long suffering1 impress itself on his mind indelibly4 ,he shook his head slowly4 8,i'm afraid there is no other way1 ,mrs4 ,godwin10 he said gently taking her arm and leaving the others to be dealt with by a constable whom he had dozing in the hotel lobby4 8,kahn is going up to ,albany to get the pardon--there can be no doubt about it now10 he added4 8,mrs4 ,godwin1 if you care to do so1 you may stay here at the hotel1 or you may go down with us on the midnight train as far as ,ossining4 ,i will wire ahead for a conveyance to meet you at the station4 ,mr4 ,jameson and ,i must go on to ,new ,york40 8,the nearer ,i am to ,sanford now1 the happier ,i shall be10 she answered1 bravely keeping back the tears of happiness4 ,the ride down to ,new ,york1 after our train left ,ossining1 was accomplished in a day coach in which our fellow passengers slept in every conceivable attitude of discomfort4 ,yet late1 or rather early1 as it was1 we found plenty of life still in the great city that never sleeps4 ,tired1 exhausted1 ,i was at least glad to feel that finally we were at home4 8,craig10 ,i yawned1 as ,i began to throw off my clothes1 8,i'm ready to sleep a week40 ,there was no answer4 ,i looked up at him almost resentfully4 ,he had picked up the mail that lay under our letter slot and was going through it as eagerly as if the clock registered ,p4,m4 instead of ,a4,m4 8,let me see10 ,i mumbled sleepily1 checking over my notes1 8how many days have we been at it80 ,i turned the pages slowly1 after the manner in which my mind was working4 8,it was the twenty-sixth when you got that letter from ,ossining10 ,i calculated1 8and to-day makes the thirtieth4 ,my heavens--is there still another day of it8 ,is there no rest for the wicked80 ,kennedy looked up and laughed4 ,he was pointing at the calendar on the desk before him4 8,there are only thirty days in the month10 he remarked slowly4 8,thank the ,lord10 ,i exclaimed4 8,i'm all in60 ,he tipped his desk-chair back and bit the amber of his meerchaum contemplatively4 8,but to-day is the first10 he drawled1 turning the leaf on the calendar with just a flicker of a smile4 ,,the ,,end