"Let me see the thing," Aurora said. "Perhaps we shall all be
frightened."

"It looks very innocent," Kalmon answered. "Here it is."

He took a small leather case from his pocket, opened it, and drew out a
short blue glass tube, with a screw top. It contained half a dozen white
tablets, apparently just like those in common use for five-grain doses
of quinine.

A little murmur of disappointment went around the table. The new form of
death looked very commonplace. Corbario was the only one who showed any
interest.

"May I see?" he asked, holding out his hand to take the tube.

Kalmon would not give it to him, but held the tube before his eyes under
the bright light of the lamp.

"Excuse me," he said, "but I make it a rule never to let it go out of my
hands. You understand, don't you? If it were passed round, some one
might lay it down, it might be forgotten, somebody might take it for
something else."

"Of course," said Folco, looking intently at the tube, as though he
could understand something about the contents by mere inspection. "You
are quite right. You should take no risks with such things--especially
as they look so innocent!"

He leaned back in his chair again, as if satisfied, and his eyes met the