The Chaser Alan Austen, as nervous as a kitten, went up certain dark and creaky stairs in the neighborhood of Pell Street, and peered about for a long time on the dim hallway before he found the name he wanted written obscure on one of the doors He pushed open this door, as he had been told to do, and found himself in a tiny room, which contained no furniture but a plain kitchen table rocking chair, and an ordinary chair. On one of the dirty buff coloured walls were a couple of shelves. containing in all perhaps a dozen bottles and jars 3 An old man sat in the rocking chair, reading a newspaper Alan, without a word handed him the card he had been given. Sit down, Mr. Austen," said the old man very politely I am glad to make your aequaintance Is it true asked Alan that you have a certain mixture tha has er quite extra ordinary effects? My dear sir replied the old man my stock in trade is not very large don't deal in laxatives and teething mixtures but such as it is, it is varied. I think nothing l sell has effects which could be precisely described as ordinary We the fact is began Alan Here, for example interrupted the old man, reaching for a bottle from the shelf. Here a liquid as colourless as water, almost tasteless uite imperceptible in coffee, wine, or any other beverage. It is also quite imperceptible to any known method of autopsy." Do you mean it is a poison cried Alan, very much horrified Call it a glove-cleaner if you like said the old man indifferently. "Maybe it will clean gloves. I have never tried. One might call it a life eaner. Lives need eaning sometimes I want nothing of that sort said Alan "Probably it is just as well,' said the old man. "Do you know the price of this? For one teaspoonful, which is sufficient, I ask five thousand dollars Never less ess hope all your nixtures are not as expensive said Alan apprehensiv Oh dear, no," said the old man. "It would be no good charging that sort of price for a love potion, for example. Young people who need a love potion very seldom have five thousand dollars. Otherwise they would not need a love potion." I am glad to hear that said Alan I look at it like this said the old man. "Please a customer with one article, and he will come back when he needs another. Even if it is more He save up for it, if necessary "So," said Alan, "you really do sell love potions If did not sell love potions said the old man, reaching for another bottle I should not have mentioned the other matter to you. It is only when one is in a position to e that one can afford to be so confidential The Chaser" by John Collier, Copyright by John Collier, Reprinted by permission of Har son Company Inc. originally published in The New Yorker fopsy: the examination of a dead body, to de e cause of death