chemist's life.

"But why so roundabout a method?" asked Dorr skeptically.

"Well, they tried the ordinary methods of murder on you through
agents. That didn't work. It was up to the Trust to put one of its
own confidential men on it. Ross is an amateur entomologist. He
devised a means that looked to be pretty safe and, in the long run,
sure."

"And would have been but for your skill, young Jones," declared Mr.
Curtis Fleming, with emphasis.

"Don't forget the fortunate coincidences," replied Average Jones
modestly. "They're about half of it. In fact, detective work, for
all that is said on the other side, is mostly the ability to
recognize and connect coincidences. The coincidence of the escape
of the Red Dots from Professor Moseley's breeding cages; the
coincidence of the death of the dogs on Golden Hill, followed by the
death of the child; the coincidence of poor Moseley's having left
the red dot letters on the desk instead of destroying them; the
coincidence of Dorr's dogs being bitten, when it might easily have
been himself had he gone to turn on the radiator and disturbed the
savage little spider--"'

"And the chief coincidence of your having become interested in the
advertisement which Judge Elverson had me insert, really more to
scare off further attempts than anything else," put in Dorr. "What
became of the spiders that were slipped through my keyhole, anyway?"