begun by whiskey and over-excitement, developed into steady poisoning by
Siddle. The chemist used a rare agent, too--pure nicotine--easy, in a
sense, to detect, but capable of a dozen reasonable explanations when
revealed by the post-mortem. But Elkin wasn't to be killed outright, I
gather. The idea was to upset stomach and brain till he was half crazy.
As you can read print when it's before your eyes, I needn't go into the
matter of motive; Elkin's behavior supplies all details."

"How about the knots? Hurry! I hate the feeling of soap drying on my
skin."

"One running noose and twice two half hitches on each package."

"Good! Charles, we're going to pull off a real twister."

"_We!_ Well, that tikes it, as the girl said when her hat blew off with
the fluffy transformation pinned to it."

Winter rushed to the bathroom, and Furneaux crept languidly to bed.

Before going to Knoleworth, Mr. Franklin consulted with Tomlin as to a
suitable dinner, to which the other guests staying in the inn, namely,
Mr. Peters and the Scotland Yard gentleman--the little man with the
French name--might be invited. This important point settled, Mr. Franklin
caught an early train, and was absent all day, being, in fact, closeted
with Superintendent Fowler and a Treasury solicitor.

Furneaux was sound asleep long after twelve o'clock, and swore at Tomlin
in French when the landlord ventured to arouse him. Tomlin went
downstairs scratching his head.