"I understand, of course, there must be more than my word, for he'll do
his utmost to discredit me. Listen: If the police or someone will go
to the Route de Grasse before the doctor can get there, they'll find a
good deal of evidence. Of course he'll get there as soon as he
can--I'm surprised he hasn't gone already--and he'll do his best to
cover up the signs. He can't mend that skylight in a hurry, though,"
she added thoughtfully.

"Esther, how does Holliday come into this? Was he in the plot?"

"No, not at all--not actively, that is. He was dragged into it at the
last simply to stand guard over me and see I didn't get away. Even he
had to see that it was absolutely necessary to dispose of me," she
finished coolly. "It would have ruined everything if they hadn't."

"Good God..."

"Now about the proofs. I believe Lady Clifford has been giving you
typhoid culture in your mineral water. I heard the doctor say so. I
don't know that we can prove that, or that she gave it to your father
in his milk, either; that's all done with. But there's one thing we
can prove. There's a little chemist named Cailler--I can tell you
where the shop is--who has an analysis of a hypodermic needle the
doctor used on your father. It was what caused that sudden relapse.
The needle had pure toxin of typhoid in it. I know, because I took it
to the chemist myself."

"_You_ did?"

"Certainly. It was too late to save your poor father--nothing could
have saved him--but I was afraid they were trying to get you as well,
and I had to be sure before I dared say anything. I didn't get the
report till after the funeral, when I heard it over the telephone.
Then I sent you that message by Chalmers."

"I see! Then what happened? I was only three minutes getting
downstairs, but you were nowhere to be seen."

"Of course, that was because the doctor was waiting behind the door to
grab me. He stuck that awful needle of his in my arm, and after that I
can't tell you anything. I didn't know any more until two days later,
when I found myself lying on a bed in the laboratory."

A slight fit of trembling overtook her again. He took her two limp
hands in his and kissed them, moved by a new and overpowering emotion.
With startling vividness he realised the whole stupendous thing, what
she had done, what she had risked and suffered. Even that stupid
incident of what the servant-girl had told about seeing her with
Holliday in his car becam