stone　tomb　we　carefully　walled　it　up　again　and　then　departed　to　find
  my　imaginary　hidden　treasure。　　We　made　our　way　without　trouble　to
  Algiers；　for　my　companion　had　money；　and　sailed　thence　via　Gibraltar
  for　England。　　During　the　trip　my　companion　jumped　overboard　and　was
  drowned　in　the　Bay　of　Biscay。　　Thus　I　was　completely　freed　from　Ceuta
  and　its　terrible　pest…hole。
  〃From　England　I　sailed　to　New　York；　reaching　America　penniless　and
  in　ill　health。　　Things　not　going　to　my　liking　in　New　York；　I　came
  to　Boston　and　took　up　my　old　callings　of　gambler　and　detective。　　It
  was　at　this　time　that　I　saw　John　Darrow's　curious　notice　in　the
  newspaper；　offering；　in　the　event　of　his　murder；　a　most　liberal
  reward　to　anyone　who　would　bring　the　assassin　to　justice。
  〃Mon　Dieu！　　How　I　needed　money。　　I　would　have　bartered　my　soul　for
  a　tithe　of　that　amount。　　It　was　the　old；　old　story；　only　new　in　Eden。
  Ah！　　but　how　I　loved　her！　　She　must　have　money；　money；　always　money！
  That　was　ever　her　cry。　　When　I　could　not　supply　it　she　sought　it　of
  others；　and　this　drove　me　mad。　　If；　I　said　to　myself；　I　could　only
  get　this　reward！　　This　was　something　really　worth　working　for；　and　if
  I　could　but　get　it；　she　should　be　mine　only。　　I　at　once　set　to　work
  upon　the　problem。
  〃It　was　not　an　easy　thing　to　solve。　　I　might　be　able　to　hire　a　man
  to　do　the　deed　for　me；　but　he　would　hardly　be　willing　to　hang　for
  it　without　disclosing　my　part　in　the　transaction。　　It　was　at　this
  time　that　I　first　met　M。　Latour　on　Decatur　Street。　　He　at　once
  impressed　me　as　being　just　the　man　I　wanted；　and　I　began　to　gradually
  subdue　his　will。　　In　this　circumstances　greatly　aided　me。　　When　I
  found　him　he　was　in　very　poor　health　and　without　any　means　of
  sustenance。　　His　daughter　was　able　to　earn　a　little；　but　not　nearly
  enough　to　keep　the　wolf　from　the　door。　　Add　to　this　that　he　had　a
  cancer；　which　several　physicians　had　assured　him　would　prove　fatal
  within　a　year；　that　he　was　afflicted　with　an　almost　insane　fear　that
  his　daughter　would　come　to　want　after　his　death；　and　you　have　before
  you　the　conditions　which　determined　my　course。　　My　first　thought
  was　to　influence　him　to　do　the　deed　himself；　but；　recalling　the
  researches　of　M。　Charcot　in　these　matters；　I　came　to　the　conclusion
  that　such　a　course　would　be　almost　certain　to　lead　to　detection；
  since　a　hypnotic　subject　can　only　be　depended　upon　so　long　as　the
  conditions　under　which　he　acts　are　precisely　those　which　have　been
  suggested　to　him。　　Any　unforeseen　variations　in　these　conditions
  and　he　fails　to　act；　exposes　everything；　and　the　whole　carefully
  planned　structure　falls　to　the　ground。　　When；　therefore；　the　time
  came　which　I　had　set　for　the　deed；　I　found　it　possible　to　drug　M。
  Latour；　abduct　him　from　his　home；　and　to　keep　him　confined　and
  unconscious　until　I　had　killed　Mr。　Darrow　in　a　manner　I　will　describe
  in　due　course。　　As　soon　as　I　had　committed　the　murder　and　established
  what　I　fondly　believed　would　be　a　perfect　alibi　in　my　attendance　at
  the　examination；　I　secretly　conveyed　the　still　unconscious　M。　Latour
  to　his　rooms　and　awaited　his　return　to　consciousness。　　I　then　asked
  him　how　he　came　in　such　a　state　and　what　he　was　doing　in　Dorchester。
  He　was；　of　course；　ignorant　of　everything。　　Little　by　little　I
  worked　upon　him　till　he　came　to　believe　himself　guilty　of　John
  Darrow's　murder。
  〃I　had　availed　myself　of　his　interest　in　the　subject　of　cancer　to
  get　him　to　the　library。　　It　is　one　of　my　maxims　never　to　take　an
  avoidable　risk；　for　which　reason　I　made　Latour　apply　for　the　books
  I　wanted；　as　well　as　for　the　medical　works　he　desired　to　peruse。
  As　he　was　ambidextrous；　I　suggested　the　use　of　the　two　names　Weltz
  and　Rizzi；　the　former　to　be　written　with　his　right　and　the　latter
  with　his　left　hand。　　I　was　actuated　in　all　this　by　two　motives。
  First；　I　was　manufacturing　evidence　which　might　stand　me　in　good
  stead　later；　as　well　as　minimising　somewhat　my　own　risk　in　getting
  the　information　I　needed；　and；　secondly；　I　was　getting　Latour　into
  a　good　atmosphere　for　my　hypnotic　influence。　　Not　a　word　of　all
  these　matters　did　he　relate　to　his　daughter；　whom　he　loves　with　a
  devotion　I　have　never　seen　equalled。　　Indeed；　it　was　this　very
  affection　that　made　my　plan　feasible。　　When　I　had　convinced　him　he
  was　a　murderer　I　showed　him　Mr。　Darrow's　curious　advertisement
  offering　a　reward；　should　he　be　assassinated；　to　anyone　bringing
  about　the　conviction　of　his　assailant。
  〃'In　a　year；'　I　said　to　him；　'you　will　die　of　cancer；　if　your　crime
  be　not　previously　discovered　and　punished。　　Your　daughter　will　then
  be　penniless。　　How　much　better　for　you　to　permit　me　in　a　few　months
  to　accuse　you　of　the　murder。　　You　then　confess；　I　claim　and　secure
  the　reward　and　secretly　divide　with　you；　you　are　sentenced；　but　as
  considerable　time　will　transpire　between　this　and　the　date　set　for
  your　execution；　you　in　the　meantime　will　die　of　cancer；　leaving
  Jeannette　well　provided　for。'
  〃I　think　my　influence　over　him　would　have　been　sufficient　to　have
  compelled　him　to　all　this；　could　he　have　reasoned　out　no　benefit
  accruing　to　himself　or　daughter　by　such　a　course；　but　with
  circumstances　thus　in　my　favour　my　task　was　an　easy　one。　　The
  public　knows　all　it　need　know　of　what　occurred　after　this。　　This
  man；　Maitland；　was　in　the　next　room　to　Latour's；　overheard　our
  conversation；　and　even　phonographed　our　words　and　photographed　our
  positions。　　It　has　always　been　a　matter　of　pride　with　me　to
  gracefully　acknowledge　that　three　aces　are　not　so　good　as　a　full
  house；　therefore　I　confess　myself　beaten；　though　not　subdued。
  〃I　consider　this　the　very　best　tribute　I　can　pay　to　the　genius　of
  the　man　who　has　undone　me。　　I　take　my　punishment；　however；　into　my
  own　hands。
  〃In　my　haste　to　have　done　with　all　this　and　to　start　on　my　long　and
  chartless　journey；　I　had　well…nigh　forgotten　to　tell　just　how　I
  killed　Mr。　Darrow。　　No　hypodermic　syringe　had　anything　to　do　with
  it。　　The　while　plan　came　to　me　while　reading　that　fatal　page　upon
  which　I　left　my　telltale　thumb…signature　in　my　search　for　some
  feasible　plan　of　making　away　with　my　victim。　　I　need　not　go　into
  particulars；　for　I　know　perfectly　well　that　this　Maitland　knows　to
  a　nicety　how　the　thing　was　done。　　The　Daboia　Russellii；　or　Russell's
  viper；　is　one　of　the　best　known　and　most　deadly　of　Indian　vipers。
  I　procured　one　of　these　reptiles　at　the　cost　of　great　delay　and　some
  slight　risk。　　That　is　the　whole　story。　　On　the　night　of　the　murder
  I　took　the　viper　in　a　box　and　went　down　to　the　water…front；　near　the
  Darrow　estate。　　Here　I　cut　a　small　pole　from　a　clump　of　alders；　made
  a　split　in　one　end　of　it；　and　thrust　it　over　the　tail　of　the　viper。
  It　pinched　him　severely　and　held　him　fast　despite　his　angry　struggles
  to　free　himself　and　to　attack　anything　within　his　reach。　　All　that
  remained　to　be　done　was　to　thrust　this　through　the　window　into　the
  darkened　room　and　to　bring　the　viper　within　reach　of　Mr。　Darrow。
  This　I　did；　being　careful　to　crouch　so　as　not　to　obstruct　the　light
  of　the　window。　　When　I　heard　my　victim's　outcry　I　withdrew　the　pole；
  and　with　it；　of　course；　the　viper；　and　made　good　my　escape。　　That
  the　reptile　bit　Mr。　Darrow　under　the　chin　while　his　back　was　toward
  the　window　was　mere　chance；　though　I　regarded　it　as　a　very　lucky
  occurrence；　since　it　seemed　to　render　the　suicide　theory　at　first
  inevitable。
  〃I　had　had　some　fear　lest　the　hissing　of　the　viper　might　have　been
  heard；　for　which　reason　I　hazarded　the　only　question　I　asked　at　the
  examination；　and　was　completely　reassured　by　its　answer。　　I　should
  perhaps　state　that　my　purpose　in　keeping　in　the　background　at　this
  examination　was　my　desire　to　avoid　attracting　attention　to　my
  deformed　foot　and　my　halting　gait。　　This　latter　I　had　taken　pains　to
  conceal　at　my　entrance；　but　I　knew　that　the　first　step　I　took　in
  forgetfulness　would　expose　my　halting　habit。　　I　had　no　fear　of　either
  Osborne　or　Allen；　but　there　was　something　about　this　Maitland　that
  bade　me　at　once　be　on　my　guard；　and；　as　I　have　said　before；　I　never
  take　an　avoidable　risk。　　For　this　reason　I　sat　at　once　in　the　darkest
  corner　I　could　find　and　remained　there　throughout　the　examination。　　I
  thought　it　extremely　unlikely；　though　possible；　that　an　attempt　might
  be　made　to　track　the　assassin　with　dogs；　yet；　since　that　is　precisely
  the　first　thing　I　myself　would　have　done；　I　decided　that　the　risk　was
  worth　avoiding。　　I　accordingly　set　the　boat　adrift　to　indicate　an
  escape　by　water；　and　then　waded　along　the　beach　for　half　a　mile　or
  so；　carrying　the　pole；　boards；　etc。；　with　me。　　As　I　kept　where　the
  water　was　at　least　six　inches　deep　I　knew　no　dog　could　follow　my
  trail。　　At　the　point　where　I　left　the　water　I　sat　down　upon　a　rock
  and　put　on　my　stockings　and　shoes；　thoroughly　saturating　them　at　the
  same　time　with　turpentine；　and　pouring　the　remainder　of　the　bottle
  upon　the　rock　where　I　had　sat。　　As　I　had　known　prisoners　escaped
  from　Libby　Prison　to　pass　in　this　way　undetected　within　twenty　feet
  of　bloodhounds　upon　their　trail；　I　felt　that　my　tracks　had　been　well
  covered；　and　made　all　possible　haste　to　get　ready　to　attend　the
  examination　with　the　special　detail。
  〃And　now　I　have　finished。　　Before　this　meets　any　ot