ction of the drug was
concerned; but according to the second part of your surmise the wound
may have been self-inflicted, and this after the drug had taken effect."

"True!" said the Detective and the Doctor simultaneously. She went on:

"As however, Doctor, your guess does not exhaust the possibilities, we
must bear in mind that some other variant of the same root-idea may be
correct. I take it, therefore, that our first search, to be made on
this assumption, must be for the weapon with which the injury was done
to my Father's wrist."

"Perhaps he put the weapon in the safe before he became quite
unconscious," said I, giving voice foolishly to a half-formed thought.

"That could not be," said the Doctor quickly. "At least I think it
could hardly be," he added cautiously, with a brief bow to me. "You
see, the left hand is covered with blood; but there is no blood mark
whatever on the safe."

"Quite right!" I said, and there was a long pause.

The first to break the silence was the Doctor.

"We shall want a nurse here as soon as possible; and I know the very
one to suit. I shall go at once to get her if I can. I must ask that
till I return some of you will remain constantly with the patient. It
may be necessary to remove him to another room later on; but in the
meantime he is best left here. Miss Trelawny, may I take it that
either you or Mrs. Grant will remain here--not merely in the room, but
close to the patient and watchful of him--till I return?"

She bowed in reply, and took a seat beside the sofa. The Doctor gave
her some directions as to what she should do in case her father should
become conscious before his return.

The next to move was Superintendent Dolan, who came close to Sergeant
Daw as he said:

"I had better return now to the station--unless, of course, you should
wish me to remain for a while."

He answered, "Is Johnny Wright still in your division?"

"Yes! Would you like him to be with you?" The other nodded reply.
"Then I will send him on to you as soon as can be arranged. He shall
then stay with you as long as you wish. I will tell him that he is to
take his instructions entirely from you."

The Sergeant accompanied him to the door, saying as he went:

"Thank you, sir; you are always thoughtful for men who are working with
you. It is a pleasure to me to be with you again. I shall go back to
Scotland Yard and report to my chief. Then I shall call at Chatwood's;
and I s