Why not to-night? “If ’twere done, when ’tis done, ’twere well it were done quickly.” There is no reason why I should not. My affairs--What affairs? I have no affairs. My family? There is none. My friends? Possibly there are some who will read the obituary in to-morrow’s paper, and sorrow over the necessity of going to the “crank professor’s” funeral. They will have no keener regret, for, thank the fates, there will be no funeral expenses, and no contributions will be levied; I have attended to all that. My friend, Dr. X., is a prosector at the university, and to him my body is willed. He has promised to wire the skeleton for the museum. Good fellow, X. No sentimental gush about him. I wonder how the skeleton will look. I hope X. knows the French method of cleaning bones. It would be some satisfaction to know that mine will be white and glistening, and nice to handle. I wonder what those French fellows use that gives that faint sweet smell to newly bleached human bones. I suppose I might have written and found out, but I never thought of that. As usual at this hour I am alone in the laboratory. It is barely possible that Professor A. may return to-night. I fancy he did not quite finish that experiment to-day. It would be embarrassing if he should come in before I had passed clear through the door. With that narcotic there would be great danger of such a mishap. I want to acquit myself at least as creditably as did that man of whom my friend Dr. X.--Great Charon! the very thing. There should be a bottle of cyanide somewhere upon the shelves-- How very awkward! Who could have misplaced that bottle? I thought I knew just where to put my hand upon it. Well, there’s no use fretting about it, to-morrow I will--Ah, now I think of it, there’s a vial of anhydrous prussic acid in that little drawer in A.’s desk, and I have a key! * * * * * I fancy I can do the work much more artistically than did X.’s patient. I will take the narcotic in its most elegant and concentrated form, instead of that beastly tincture. I hate nauseous medicines. As for the prussic acid, I will use a hypodermic. Fortunately there is one yonder, in the room for animal experimentation. I will take the morphia first, and when it begins to act, I will get the syringe. There will be plenty of time. How simple; just a tongue coating of powder--a mere fleeting dash of bitter--a draught of water and--so far the narcotic. Now, to await results. * * * * *