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"It is curious that I considered this question for a quite considerable time before the obvious solution presented itself I turned over at least a dozenof the body, and rejected them all as impracticable Then, suddenly, I remembered the mummy upstairs

"At first it only occurred to me as a fantastic possibility that I could conceal the body in the an to see that it was really practicable; and not only practicable but easy; and not only easy but eminently safe If once the mummy-case was in the Museum, I was rid of it for ever

"The circuularly favourable There would be no hue and cry, no hurry, no anxiety; but ample time for all the necessary preparations Then the th was ae of rather flexibleso that it could be opened without injury Nothing need be cut but the lacing, which could be replaced A little da the deceased; but such cracks as ht occur would all be at the back and would be of no iain Fortune favoured me The whole of the back of the mummy-case was coated with bitumen, and it would be easy when once the deceased was safely inside to apply a fresh coat, which would cover up not only the cracks but also the new lacing

"After careful consideration, I decided to adopt the plan I went downstairs and sent the caretaker on an errand to the Law Courts Then I returned and carried the deceased up to one of the third-floor roo packing-case in the position in which he would lie in the mummy-case I folded his clothes neatly and packed them, with the exception of his boots, in a suit-case that he had been taking to Paris and which contained nothing but his night-clothes, toilet articles, and a change of linen By the tihly washed the oilcloth on the stairs and landing, the caretaker had returned I inforham had started for Paris and then I went home The upper part of the house was, of course, secured by the Chubb lock, but I had also--ex abundantiâ cautelae--locked the door of the room in which I had deposited the deceased