ut did not obtain positive
results."

"What about the other dog?"

"Rags? That was the day before yesterday. We had just come over from
Flatbush and Razs was nosing around in the corner--"

"Was it the same corner where Tatters was attacked?"

"Yes, near the radiator. He seemed to be interested in something there
when I left the room. I was gone not more than two minutes."

"Lock the door after you?"

"It has a special spring lock which I had put on it."

Average Jones crossed over and looked at the contrivance. Then his
glance fell to a huge, old-fashioned keyhole below the new fastening.
"You didn't use that larger lock?"

"No. I haven't for months. The key is lost, I think."

Retracing his steps the investigator sighted the hole from the radiator,
and shook his head.

"It's not in range," he said. "Go on."

"As I reached the door on my return, I heard Rags yelp. You may believe
I got to him quickly. He was pawing wildly at his nose. I called up
the nearest veterinary. Within ten minutes the convulsions came on. The
veterinary was here when Rags died, which was within fifteen minutes of
the first spasm. He didn't believe it was strychnine. Said the attacks
were different. Whatever it was, I couldn't find any trace of it in the
stomach. The veterinary took the body away and made a complete autopsy."

"Did he discover anything?"

"Yes. The blood was coagulated and on the upper lip he found a circle
of small pustules. He agreed that both dogs probably swallowed something
that was left in my office, though I don't see how it could have got
there."

"That won't do," returned Average Jones positively. "A dog doesn't cry
out when he swallows poison, unless it's some corrosive."

"It was no corrosive. I examined the mouth."

"What about the radiator?" asked Average Jones, getting down on his
knees beside that antiquated contrivance. "It seems to have been the
center of disturbance."

"If you're thinking of fumes," replied the chemist. "I tested for that.
It isn't possible."

"No; I suppose not. And yet, there's the curious feature that the fatal
influence seems to have emanated from the corner which is the most
remote from both windows and door. Are your windows left open at night?"

"The windows, sometimes. The transom is kept double-bolted."

"Do they face any other windows near by?"

"You can see for yourself that they don't."

"There's no fire-escape and it's too far up for anything to come in