ife was absent. At that time I understood that Mrs. De Gex
was remaining in Italy. The meal was served by a man whom the great
financier addressed as Horton, and just before coffee was brought in I
recollect that Moroni left the table and went to the telephone. Then,
on his return, the man Horton brought in the cups which were already
filled. The man put down a cup before me, but De Gex noticing that it
was a little too full, politely exchanged his for mine.

"We were chatting, and Mr. De Gex had just said that it was about time
we were off to Olympia, when I sipped my coffee. I noticed that both
Doctor Moroni and our host glanced at me curiously. The coffee tasted
unusually sweet, and also it seemed to be slightly perfumed, I
remember, almost like _pot-pourri_. I had just replaced the cup upon
the table when I felt a most violent pain in my head, and cried out.
Miss Engledue was at my side in an instant, but I felt a sensation of
giddiness, and next moment I knew nothing more."

I remained silent for a few seconds, thinking deeply over her
remarkable story.

"Then Miss Engledue was quite well at the time?" I asked.

"Quite, she sprang to my assistance."

"Then you were taken ill before she became similarly affected?"

"Was she? I did not know that!" said my beloved in surprise.

"Yes. You were rendered unconscious by a drug which produced all the
symptoms of death, but Miss Engledue was afterwards deliberately
killed."

Gabrielle stared at me as though she believed that I was bereft of my
senses.

"Was Gabrielle Engledue killed?" she gasped. "Surely she was not!"

"She was," I replied. "And her body was afterwards cremated!"

My beloved gave vent to a shriek of horror--and what more natural? She
now realized, for the first time, that she had been the victim of a
clever and amazing plot.

"I recollect," she said, "that just at the moment of my sudden seizure
I seemed to become fascinated by the gorgeous Spanish shawl which
Gabrielle Engledue had around her shoulders. It was a most beautifully
embroidered silk shawl with long, heavy fringe, and flowers worked in
red, green and gold upon a silk fabric. I had been admiring it all the
time I sat at the table, but the colours seemed so dazzling as to
bewilder me, to muddle my senses--red, green and gold."

How often had those words of hers puzzled me! Now I knew the truth!
That magnificent Spanish shawl had stood out in her recollection as
the last object she