She was right. Daisy had only winged Iris and me but with the grocery man she had scored a direct hit. And the grocery man was unquestionably Henry Blodgett.

Iris nodded to her policeman. “Sergeant Blair took a copy of the snap around the neighborhood groceries. They recognized Blodgett at the Supermarket. They hired him day before yesterday. He made a few deliveries this morning, including Miss Crump’s, and took a powder without his pay.”

“Well . . .” stammered Inspector Green. “Well . . .”

“Just how many charges can you get him on?” asked my wife hopefully. “Attempted homicide, conspiracy to defraud, illegal possession of poisonous drugs . . . . The rat, I hope you give him the works when you get him.”

“We’ll get him all right,” said Inspector Green.

Iris leaned over and patted Poppy’s head affectionately.

“Don’t worry, darling. I’m sure Miss Crump will get well and we’ll throw a lovely christening party for your little strangers . . . .”

Iris was right about the Blodgetts. Henry got the works. And his wife was held as an accessory. Iris was right about Miss Crump too. She is still in the hospital but improving steadily and will almost certainly be well enough to attend the christening party.

Meanwhile, at her request, Poppy is staying with us, awaiting maternity with rollicking unconcern.

It’s nice having a dog who pays the rent.

FROM ANOTHER WORLD

Clayton Rawson

Detective: The Great Merlini

KNOWN TODAY as one of the greatest of all writers of impossible crimes, Clayton Rawson (1906-1971) also was one of America’s most famous illusionists; he was a member of the American Society of Magicians and wrote on the subject frequently.

Born in Elyria, Ohio, he graduated from Ohio State University and worked as an illustrator for advertising agencies and magazines before turning to writing. He used his extensive knowledge of stage magic to create elaborate locked room and impossible crime novels and short stories.

Under his own name, all his fiction featured the Great Merlini, a professional magician and amateur detective who opened a magic shop in New York City’s Times Square where he often is visited by his friendly rival, Inspector Homer Gavigan of the NYPD, when he is utterly baffled by a seemingly impossible crime. Merlini’s adventures are recounted by freelance writer Ross Harte. There are only four Merlini novels, two of which have been adapted for motion pictures.

Miracles for Sale (1939) was based on Rawson’s first novel, Death from a Top Hat (1938). In this film, the protagonist is named Mike Morgan, played by Robert Young; it was directed by Tod Browning. The popular Mike Shayne series used Rawson’s second book, The Footprints on the Ceiling (1939), as the basis for The Man Who Wouldn’t Die (1942), with Lloyd Nolan starring as Shayne, who consults a professional magician for help. The other Merlini books are The Headless Lady (1940), No Coffin for the Corpse (1942), and The Great Merlini (1979), a complete collection of Merlini stories.