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Rh so I went out and telephoned to Mr. Hudson about it. Then, when I got back, the professor had gone."

"You will understand," hastily explained Hudson, "that Professor Dove, when in his right mind, was a most gentlemanly and kind-hearted man; but when he was drunk there was no doing anything with him. I have had several unpleasant experiences with him before. He'd go out and wander all over the town in a sort of daze, talking aloud to himself about his psychic beliefs and all that. He was especially fond of the river, and once we found him sitting away out on a pier and gazing into the water. But I know absolutely nothing about his death, sir, I assure you. Now, about my being here. I'd like to explain—"

"That is not necessary," interrupted Astro, "I know everything I wish to, now."

"What do you mean? What do you know about my private affairs?"

"I'll tell you, Mr. Hudson. First, for a long time you have been anxious to discover some way of making more money than you could in the real estate business. You and your wife wanted to go abroad; and you are very fond of her and naturally wished to please her. Thinking it over and watching the advertisements, you saw that the quickest way to make money was to go into some sort of fortune-telling business and play on the credulity of fools. Knowing of the compound pendulum and the curves it traces so mysteriously, you decided to adopt that as the basis of your graft. You found a willing helper in Professor Dove, who was well, just a little cracked, and inclined to believe thoroughly in his own psychic powers. You backed him in this enterprise," Astro waved his hand round the