quarter after eleven
She gripped the arms of her chair , and her heart burned within her . The professor was making sure of his apparatus . He tested this bulb and that , and carefully inspected the curious oscillating platform , over which was suspended a thickly bunched group of gray-green wire , which was seemingly an antenna . The numerous indicators and implements seemed to be satisfactory , for at quarter after eleven Burr gave an exclamation of pleasure and nodded to himself . Burr seemed to have forgotten the woman . He spoke aloud occasionally , but not to her , as he drew forth a suit made of the same metal cloth as Allen must have on at this moment . * * * * * The tension was terrific , terrific for the mother , who was awaiting the culmination of the experiment which would rescue her son from the electric chair -- or would it fail ?