Clouds which had been collecting in the sky began a splattering downpour. The storm grew in fury and lightning tore the heavens, while thunder boomed and crackled. The rain began falling in sheets. * * * * * This served to revive the unconscious Teddy. He painfully withdrew his body from under that of the madman. The falling rain, stained with the blood of the Mad Musician, trickled over the edge of the building. Teddy dragged himself through a window and passed his hand over his forehead, which was aching miserably. He tried to get to his feet and fell back, only to try again. Several times he tried and then, his strength returning, he was able to walk. He made his way to the studio where he had left Linane and found him there surrounded by police, reporters and others. The infernal machine had been rendered harmless, but was kept intact as evidence. Catching sight of Teddy, Linane shouted with joy. "I stopped the damned thing," he chuckled, like a pleased schoolboy. Then, observing Teddy's exhausted condition he added: "Why, you look like you have been to a funeral!" "I have," said Teddy. "You'll find that crazy fiddler dead on the twenty-ninth story. Look out the window of the thirtieth story," he instructed the police, who had started to recover the body. "He stabbed himself. He is either dead or dying." It proved that he was dead. No engineering firm is responsible for the actions of a madman. So the Muller Construction Company was given a clean bill of health. * * * * * Jenks and Elaine Linane were with the girl's father in his study. They were asking for the paternal blessing. Linane was pretending to be hard to convince. "Now, my daughter," he said, "this young man takes $500 of my good money by sounding me out, as he calls it. Then he comes along and tries to take my daughter away from me. It is positively high-handed. It dates back to the football game--" "Daddy, dear, don't be like that!" said Elaine, who was on the arm of his chair with her own arms around him. "I tell you, Elaine, this dates back to the fall of 1927." "It dates back to the fall of Eve," said Elaine. "When a girl finds her man, no power can keep him from her. If you won't give me to Teddy Jenks, I'll elope with him." "Well, all right then. Kiss me," said Linane as he turned towards his radio set. "One and one makes one," said Teddy Jenks. Every engineer knows his mathematics. * * * * * _Have you written in to_ ASTOUNDING STORIES _Yet, to Tell the Editors Just What Kind of Stories You Would Like Them to Secure for You?_ * * * * * The Thief of Time _By Captain S. P. Meek_ The teller turned to the stacked pile of bills. They were gone! And no one had been near! [Illustration: "_That man never entered and stole that money as the picture shows, unless he managed to make himself invisible._"]