He listened with close attention, jotting down from time to time a brief
note on a sheet of paper; and, when I had finished, he wrote out in a
black-covered notebook a short précis of my statement.

"I have written down here," he said, "the substance of what you have
told me. I will read the deposition over to you, and, if it is correct,
I will ask you to sign it."

He did so, and, when I had signed the document, I asked him what was
likely to be done in the matter.

"I am afraid," he replied, "that we can't take any active measures. You
have put us on our guard and we shall keep our eyes open. But I think
that is all we can do, unless we hear something further."

"But," I exclaimed, "don't you think that it is a very suspicious
affair?"

"I do," he replied. "A very fishy business indeed, and you were quite
right to come and tell us about it."

"It seems a pity not to take some measures," I said. "While you are
waiting to hear something further, they may give the poor wretch a fresh
dose and kill him."

"In which case we should hear something further, unless some fool of a
doctor were to give a death certificate."

"But that is very unsatisfactory. The man ought not to be allowed to