“If your men had looked into the grove behind the barn they would have found the automobile which furnished two more subjects I was keeping 371 on hand in a room upstairs. Old Manion and his daughter gave me quite a bit of trouble, but I kept them drugged most of the time. He broke out of the room to-night though, and I had to kill him. It was self defense,” he added slyly.
“Anyway, I found it was possible to make two astrals exchange bodies. But I also wanted to see if it were possible to cause two astrals to occupy the same body at the same time, and if so what the result would be. I found out. It was rare sport to watch your star reporter leave my house. He was damned glad to leave, I believe....” Again came the insane cackle.
“Guess we have to believe him whether we want to or not.” The detective came to life. “How about making him release Handlon’s––what d’ye call it?––astral––from Perry’s body?”
“Just a moment.” The voice now was unmistakably Handlon’s, though it was issuing from the throat of Perry. “In the minute I have in consciousness let me suggest that before you do any more de-astralizing you locate my body. Until then, if I am released from this one I am a dead man.”
The words struck the group dumb. Where was Handlon’s body? Could the Professor produce it?
That worthy looked rather haunted at that moment, and they began to see the fear of death coming upon him.
“Mercy, mercy!” he begged as the four men started to advance upon him. “As soon as I had de-astralized Handlon I destroyed his body in my pickling barrel down cellar. But there is another way....” He paused, uncertain as to how his next words would be received. “Go out and get the Manion girl. She can be de-astralized and friend Handlon can have her body.”
At this suggestion, advanced so naïvely, the four men recoiled in horror. It was entirely too much even for Hard Boiled Bland, and he could hardly restrain himself from applying the editorial fist to the leering face before him. Undoubtedly Professor Kell was hopelessly insane, and for that reason he held himself in leash.
“Kell, you are slated to pull off one more stunt,” Jimmie addressed the cringing heap. “You know what it is. Get busy. And just remember that I am standing over here”––he indicated a corner well separated from the rest––“with this cannon aimed in your direction. If things aren’t just according to Hoyle, you get plugged. Get me?”