a note from
O'Connor. It was written with his usual brevity: "Have just found from
servants that Farrington and Mrs. P. have key to Vandam house. Wish
I had known it before. House shadowed. No one has entered or left it
to-night."

Craig looked at his watch. It was a quarter after one. "The ghost
won't walk to-night, Walter," he said as he entered his bedroom for a
much-needed rest. "I guess I was right after all in getting the capsules
as soon as possible. The ghost must have flitted unobserved in there
this morning directly after the maid brought them back from the
druggist."

Again, the next morning, he had me out of bed bright and early. As we
descended from the Sixth Avenue "L," he led me into a peculiar little
shop in the shadow of the "L" structure. He entered as though he knew
the place well; but, then, that air of assurance was Kennedy's stock in
trade and sat very well on him.

Few people, I suppose, have ever had a glimpse of this workshop of magic
and deception. This little shop of Marina's was the headquarters of the
magicians of the country. Levitation and ghostly disappearing hands were
on every side. The shelves in the back of the shop were full of nickel,
brass, wire, wood, and papier-mache contrivances, new and strange to the
eye of the uninitiated. Yet it was all as systematic as a hardware shop.

"Is Signor Marina in?" asked Craig of a girl in the first room, given
up to picture post-cards. The room was as deceptive as the trade, for
it was only an anteroom to the storeroom I have described above. This
storeroom was also a factory, and half a dozen artisans were hard at
work in it.

Yes, the signor was in, the girl replied, leading us back into the
workshop. He proved to be a short man with a bland, open face and frank
eyes, the very antithesis of his trade.

"I have arranged for a circle with Mrs. May Popper," began Kennedy,
handing the man his card. "I suppose you know her?"

"Indeed yes," he answered. "I furnished her seance room."

"Well, I want to hire for to-night just the same sort of tables,
cabinets, carpets, everything that she has--only hire, you understand,
but I am willing to pay you well for them. It is the best way to get a
good sitting, I believe. Can you do it?"

The little man thought a moment, then replied: "Si, signor yes--very
nearly, near enough. I would do anything for Mrs. Popper. She is a good
customer. But her manager--"

"My friend here, Mr. Jameson, has had s