ature of that action I shall probably not discover. I
incline to the belief that it is of an electrical nature. A connection
is to be thereby established with one of the deadly currents that can
be tapped for the asking here in New York. It may be objected that the
men who died in the chair over there showed no external marks of death
by electrical shock. But the autopsy, if it had been performed by
Coroner Lunkhead, might have told a different story. Magnus is as good
an electrician as he is a chemist, and he could easily rig up some kind
of transformer reducing the power of the current just enough to
paralyze the victim--death by a myriad of small shocks instead of one
big one. Now it is plain why the spider will not come to spring his
trap unless the sun shines on the 21st of March. If it doesn't, the
play goes over to the next clear day, only that the curtain will rise a
minute or so earlier in correspondence with the onward march of the
sun-god, the executioner in the cast of our drama. Well, I have made my
preparations to counter-check. To-morrow we shall see what we shall see.

"March 21. I have still an hour before the expressman will come for the
clock-case, and I must take the opportunity to finish my notes. The
dead man sits opposite me at the table, but that does not matter. There
is plenty of room for us both.

"The day dawned clear and fine, and at ten o'clock the sun was shining
brightly. He will come then.

"At eleven I began to wonder how Dr. Magnus proposes to witness my last
agonies without risk of suspicion attaching to his precious self. If he
is seen entering and leaving my room this morning he may be called upon
for an explanation later. One cannot be too careful in playing the
delicate role of the amateur assassin.

"But I have wronged my excellent friend. He has foreseen the difficulty
and provided against it. At precisely half after eleven a couple of
expressmen delivered what purported to be a clock-case at my outer
office. It was addressed to me and I receipted for it without
hesitation.

"'I understand that we are to call for it again at two o'clock,' said
one of the men. 'That'll give you time to pack up the other clock?'

"'Very good,' said I.

"'And Mr. Gill said that you would set the case out on the landing if
you had to leave the office before we got back. I'll put the receipt
under the door.'

"'I understand,' I answered, carelessly. 'Get yourself some cigars,'
and I slipped