s to reach the bottle. But ever it was just beyond his grasp.

"I will have it! I will! I will!" he muttered, gritting his teeth with
such force that one of them was broken. But he took no heed of the
accident. Down on his back he turned, and, by a wriggling motion, soon
lay extended at full length, his feet reaching as far as the chains
about the wrists permitted, his arms being stretched backward beyond
his shoulders. He could now reach the bottle with his feet, but it was
impossible for him to see it, the position of his arms rendering it
very difficult for him to hold his head and shoulders high enough from
the floor, so that his own body would not impede his vision. However,
he did accomplish his purpose, and Mr. Barnes was amazed to see him at
last clutch the phial with his two feet. Then began a series of
contortions which were painful to see. With the utmost care the Doctor
drew his feet slowly up, dragging the phial nearer and nearer,
meanwhile crying out in a sort of hysteria:

"It is mine! I will have it! I will succeed! The Wizard never failed!
Never! Never! No! No! Never! Never!"

Once, as he moved his feet, the phial slipped from them and rolled
away again.

"Come back!" he shrieked. "Come back! Stop! Stop!" he cried, as though
addressing a living thing. It ceased to roll, and with a cry of joy he
found that he could still reach it. Again he slowly worked it towards
him. Inch by inch he managed the coveted phial, until at last he
assumed another position. Springing up from the floor he reached
backward with one foot and touched it.

"Now it is mine! Mine! Mine!" His voice was shrill, and there was a
passionate tone of exultation that smote Mr. Barnes to the heart. It
was terrible to stand by and see the desperate effort which this man
made to accomplish that from which all men shrink in horror. Slowly
the Doctor proceeded with his task, until at last he was able to reach
the phial with his hands. Swiftly stooping, as a hawk descends upon
its prey, he grasped the little bottle.

"Ha! Ha! Ha! I have it! It is mine! The Wizard never fails!"

His laugh of joy had scarcely died away, before he uttered a most
terrific shriek, and threw the phial from him, crying:

"Empty! Great God! It is empty!"

He stood silent and motionless for a moment. Then his eyes turned in
the direction of Mr. Barnes, and he glared at him in such a way that
the detective felt uncomfortable. Suddenly he burst forth with a
tira