Page:The achievements of Luther Trant - Balmer and MacHarg - 1910.djvu/87

Rh "that made you think I sent a double to talk with you while I went out to do Bronson?"

"Will you have Caylis taken out of the room for a few moments, inspector?" Trant requested, in reply. The inspector motioned to Sweeny, who led out the prisoner.

"Where's your accessory?" asked Crowley, grinning.

"I'll tell you presently," Trant put him off. "I want to test Caylis without his knowing anything unusual is being tried. Captain Crowley, can we have the brass-knobbed chair from your office?"

"What for?" Crowley demanded.

"I will show you when I have it."

At Walker's nod Crowley brought in the chair. It was a deep, high-backed, wooden chair, with high arms; and on each arm was a brass knob, so placed that a person sitting in the chair would almost inevitably place his palms over them. As the captain brought in the chair, Trant opened his suit case and took out his galvanometer, batteries and wires. Cutting off the cylinder electrodes which Kanlan had held in his hands during the test of that morning, Trant ran the wires under each arm of the chair and made a contact with each brass knob. He connected them with the battery, which he hid under the chair, and with the galvanometer dial, which he placed behind the chair upon a table, concealing it behind his hat.

He seated himself in the chair and grasped the knobs in his palms. With his hands dry no perceptible current passed through his body from knob to knob to register upon the dial.