t into open conflict with the authorities, nor did he protest
his innocence, or take any other stand than the one he had assumed from
the first.

All this gave me much food for thought, but I declined to think. I had
made up my mind from the moment I realised Carmel's condition, that there
was nothing for me to do till after the inquest. The public investigation
which this would involve, would show the trend of popular opinion, and
thus enlighten me as to my duty. Meanwhile, I would keep to the old lines
and do the best I could for myself without revealing the fact of Carmel's
near interest in a matter she was in no better condition to discuss now
than when in a state of complete unconsciousness.

Of that inquest, which was held in due course, I shall not say much. Only
one new fact was elicited by its means, and that of interest solely as
making clear how there came to be evidences of poison in Adelaide's
stomach, without the quantity being great enough for more than a
temporary disturbance.

Maggie, the second girl, had something to say about this when the phial
which had held the poison was handed about for inspection. She had
handled that phial many times on the shelf where it was kept. Once she
had dropped it, and the cork coming out, some of the contents had
escaped. Frightened at the mishap, she had filled the phial up with
water, and put it, thus diluted, back on the shelf. No one had noticed
the difference, and she had forgotten all about the matter until now.
From her description, there must have been very little of the dangerous
drug left in the phial; and the conclusions of Dr. Perry's autopsy
received a confirmation which ended, after a mass of testimony tending
rather to confuse than enlighten, the jury, in the non-committal verdict:

Death by strangulation at the hands of some person unknown.

I had expected this. The evidence, pointing as it did in two opposing
directions, presented a problem which a coroner's jury could hardly be
expected to solve. What followed, showed that not only they but the
police authorities as well, acknowledged the dilemma. I was allowed one
sweet half hour of freedom, then I was detained to await the action of
the grand jury, and so was Arthur.

When I was informed of this latter fact, I made a solemn vow to myself.
It was this: If it falls to my lot to be indicted for this murderous
offence, I will continue to keep my own counsel, as I have already done,
in face of less