There was no clue to the kidnapping of wealthy, powerful men and beautiful, talented women-until the Man Who Dealt in Death broke into Richard Wentworth's stroll in the moonlight with the wanton wounding of his own lookout. From that stricken gangster Wentworth obtained the first hint of the devil-brain that was using science and surgery, death and torture and extortion, to enslave the city's great. And Wentworth, better known as the Spider, answered the challenge of the Laboratory of the Lost-gambling life and more against weird dangers that no man had ever faced before!