The Uttermost Farthing / A Savant's Vendetta

ed at the large collection of human skeletons that it contained, a suspicion that there was something queer about those skeletons had made me quite uncomfortable. Now,

of certainty, my horror of them vanished. Even the hideous little doll-like heads induce

ative was headed "Anthropological Series, 2, 3 and 4." It exhibited the same singular outlook as the first, showing that to

r exhibition in a museum case, I reflected on the future to which recent events had committed me. I had been, as it were, swept away on the tide of circumstance. The death of this person had occurred by

nd since the available method of identification could not be applied to newly-acquired specimens while in the living state, it followed that each would have to be reduced to the condition in which identific

eum; every art school in the country has one and so have many board schools. What is the legal position of the owners of those human remains? It will not bear investigation. As to the Hunterian Museum, it is a mere resurre

accepted standards. For the attitude of society towards the criminal appears to be that of a co

are, we shall take possession of your person and detain you for so many months or years. During that time you will inhabit quarters better than you are accustomed to; your sleeping-room will be kept comfortably warm in all weathers; you will be provided with clothing better than you usually wear; you will have a sufficiency of excellent food; expensive officials will be paid to take charge of you; selected medical men will be retained

to walk into my parlor. He walks in, a public nuisance and a public danger; an

t when it was finished. The bones were of a good color and texture, the fracture of the skull, when carefully joined with fish-glue, was quite invisible, and, as to the little dried preparation of the h

t from the dealer to occupy its place until it was ready. The substitute was no longer needed and I accordingly d

other appliances) locked in a hanging cupboard at my bed-head, ready to be switched on and placed under my pillow at night. I secretly purchased a quantity of paste jewelry-bracelets, tiaras, pendants and such like glittering trash-and when everything was ready I engaged two new servants of d

ok a squeeze with a piece of dough. The sham diamonds were locked in a separate division of the safe, but I introduced them to her by taking them out in her presence, spreading them on the table and ostentatiously cleaning their rolle

oided by day would come crowding on me in the darkness. I would think of my lost happiness, of my poor, murdered wife and of the wretch who had so lightly crushed out her sweet life as one

ng coil of fishing-line, softly descended the stairs. On the mid-way landing I laid down the shot-bag and paid out the coil of line as I descended the next flight. In the hall I paused for a few seconds to listen. Both the doors of the dining-room were shut, but I could hear faint sounds within. I approached the door further from the street and carefully grasped the knob. The lock

more than on

I had bargained for. Number One, by himself, had given me a good deal of occupation, both during and after the capture. Three might prove a little beyond my powers. And yet, if I could only manage them, they would make a hand

key in the lock explained the procedure so far. One of the men held an electric bulls-eye lamp, the light of wh

g, with a distinctly startled expression, in my direction; in fact, I seemed to meet his eye;

pered hoarsely,

of them-presumably Fred-retorted gruffly, 'Then

As he approached I backed away, and grasping the newel-post of the staircase gave it a sharp pull, whereat the whole of the balusters creaked loudly. Then I

for a moment and then peered out into the dark hall. The opportunity seemed excellent if I could o

-bag slid over the carpet on the landing above with

pointed revolver. The practice of carrying firearms seems to be growing amongst the criminal classes, perhaps by reason of the inc

able creak came from the upper stairs. I think this somewhat reassured my friend, for I heard him mutter that 'he supposed it was them dam girls.'

s head stood out black and distinct, its back towards me, one outstanding ear ser

parietal eminence, an oblique impact on which would be less likely to injure the base of the skull than a vertical blow. But I put my wh

htly up the hall and softly turned the knob of the farther door. Fortunately the two men in the room were too much alarmed to rush out into the hall, or, with the aid of their lamp, they would have seen me. But they were extreme

couple of yards past the opening of the door and his two friends were probably examining him. Accordingly I stepped softly along the room and took up a position behind the screen

ustling from the two men and an occasional creak from t

. He seems

r agreed and then added optimistical

rejoinder. 'I tell yer he'

e and then, in a yet soft

ebody's been and

d Fred; 'besides there ain't n

ubt that these sounds of stealthy movement were highly disturbing to the burglars, especially in the present circumstances. And so it appe

r you neither. There's more'n what one of us can carry. And you put away that b

what Joe's been,' the other whispered sulki

, and being closely followed by his more nervous comrade. The latter, less fortunate, caught his foot in the line, stumbled, tightened the line and brought the shot-bag hopping down the stairs. What I heard was the sound of the stumble, followed by the quick thud, thud, of the descending shot-bag, exactly resembling t

it yer, Fre

d of the survivor extricating himself from his fallen comrade. A few paces from him I halted with the concussor poised ready to strike and listened to his fumbling and scuffling.

n a heap at the foot of the stairs and still twitching at intervals. It could not have been a pleasant sight to his companion. The greenish-white face with

the habit of that type of man when frightened. I stepped silently behind him and looked over his shoulder at the expiring criminal, speculating on what he would do next. At the moment he was paralyzed and imbecile with terror, and I had a strong inclination to dispatch him then an

arition he uttered a most singular cry, like that of a young goat, and started back. Another moment and he would have raised his pistol arm, but I had foreseen this and was beforehand with him. Even as his hand rose, the concussor struck the outer side of his arm, between the shoulder and the elbow, on the e

uses even in a

completely. He stared at me in abject terror and gibbered inarticulately. Onl

could hear him snorting and cursing as he wriggled in my grasp. I had to drop the concussor that I might hold him with both hands, and it was well that I did, for he suddenly got one hand free and struck. It was a vicious blow and had it not been partly stopped by my elbow the adventure would have ended very differ

o and fro, and each straining for the momentary advantage that wo

and face downwards. As we fell, he uttered a sharp cry and began to struggle in a curious,

stic limpness of his limbs suggested a new idea. Gradually and cautiously I relaxed my hold, and, as he still did not

ready for a second blow when I had pinioned him. He was still grasping it so when we fell, and the point had entered his own chest near the middle l

e way. The pistol shots had apparently not been heard by the police, so there was no fear of inter

now getting on for three o'clock and the sun would be up by four. Daylight would

ly equal to the occasion. The sudden death of the first man had rather puzzled me, but when I lifted him the explanation was obvious enoug

nife, which I left on the mat. Then I changed my pajamas, putting the blood-stained suit to soak in the laboratory, strapped up m

and the room empty. I tapped at the c

?' a shaky v

course, they knew my voice. The door opened and the two women a

matter, sir?' th

he night and thought I heard a pistol-shot, but, putting it down t

, sir,' said the cook, 'and so did

istinctly heard the street door shut, so I went down and f

nothing's been took.' (She spoke exceed

nd out. Perhaps you will come down and tak

ruders was a large blood-stain at the foot of the stairs, at which Susan shied like a horse. There was another stain near the street door, and there was the

d quarreled. However, that is none of our busin

rdly conceal their disappointment when they saw that the contents were intact. I examined the roughly-made false key without comment but with a significant glance

he police,' said I (without the slightest

is gone and nothing hasn't been took. The police would only come i

rse it would never do to have the police in the house again so soon. I affected to be deeply impressed by her sagaci

was my passport of safety. But I regretted the necessity. For it was certain that as soon as I was out of the house one of these hussies would run off to make inquiries about her friends; and when it was found that the burglars were missing, there

ived a large consignment of skeletons from Germany (Heaven alone knows whence these German exporters obtain their supply), so I had an ample number to select from; and as th

d inquiries.' Her manner was most peculiar, and so was the cook's for that matter. They were both profoundly depressed and anxious; they both regarded me with evident dislike and s

n merely because I looked at her rather attentively; she was continually missing my wine-glass and pouring the claret on to the table-cloth; and when I

ve her a terrible shock. I was in the dining-room when they arrived and through the o

Susan, who answered his ring, he addresse

ny uns, they are, too. He don't happen to

at you mean,' Sus

e man retorted. 'Three of 'em, there a

d that they should be taken through to the museu

d the effect was heightened by the conduct of the two grinning carriers, who bore each case on their shoulders, coffin-wise, and proceeded to the museum at a slow, funereal

fearful fascination at the long, black cases and uttered no sound even when the facetious carrier q

of course, I had no objection, and when she went off to the kitchen to fetch her colleague, I took up a position just inside the laboratory door and awaited development

cheerfully and the housemaid silent; but at the museum door they

cords. That is all. I will take out the things myself.' With this I went back to the laboratory; but in less than

l kept me exceedingly busy; and to make things worse, I had received from Jamrach's (without an order-but I had to keep the thing) a dead hyena which had been affected wit

t of the front door and slip in by the side entrance. But Susan soon discovered this and thereafter was continually banging at the lobby door to see if I was

and let myself in by the side entrance, but, by some amazing inadvertence, had left the lobby door unfastened; and I had barely got on my apron to begin work when I heard someone enter the lobby. Then came a gentle tappin

poor wife had been interested in Lepidoptera). Very softly I tip-toed to the door and suddenly flung it open. There stood Susan Slodger with a h

ff the handle. I saw her flying down the lobby with the net over her head, looking like an oriental bride; I hear

interruption or the discomfort of being spied upon. As to the products of my labors, they are fully set forth in the catalogue; and of th

precise detail in the catalogue, and some of the particulars were really quite interesting, as, for instance, the fact that "the skull of Number 4 combines an ext

ed? Or had he merely an unconventional point of view? It is to the latter opinion that I incline after long consideration. He clearl

s the giraffe-for which they have no need; and other sane men actually go abroad and kill-by barbarous methods-foreign men of estimable character with whom they h

obiter dictum from which m