{
    package Medusa; # Fatal to look at
    use Carp 'croak';
    use overload( '""' => sub { die $_[0] } );
    sub new { my $self = 0; return bless \$self; }
}
my $timed_out = 0;
eval {
    local $SIG{ALRM} = sub {
        warn "Time's up!\n";
        die Medusa->new();
    };
    alarm( $seconds );
    do_work();
    alarm( 0 );
    1;
} or do {
    alarm( 0 );
    die $@
        if  "Medusa" ne ref($@);
    $@ = '';
    $timed_out = 1;
};