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40 "I do," said Chelubai. "And I tell you that any qualms I had about the poor time Pudleigh's spirit would have, because of the cutting short of this incarnation, have vanished—yes, sir, vanished utterly."

"This is very satisfactory, for, from my point of view, too, even if we were not bound to remove him for his financial crimes, it would be our duty to Humanity to remove him to discourage hypocrisy."

"That's true, too," said Chelubai. "But what's your idea for removing him? Since he's a man like this, I don't want to waste any time."

"A gentleman in the neighborhood of the Oval about midnight surely presents himself as subject for removal by the sand-bag, or perhaps by my portable lethal chamber."

"What's that?" said Chelubai.

I showed him my contrivance with all an inventor's pride, and explained to him that you poured a bottle of chloroform into the bag before slipping it over the subject's head, and after the operation left the bottle of chloroform by his or her side to produce the impression of suicide.

Chelubai examined it with grave attention, and worked the noose with thoughtful care. "Yes," he said. "This has points. It's an excellent idea—excellent." I flushed at the flattering verdict. "But I think it's more adapted to a removal in