The cork of the medicine-bottle, when I gave Milly her last dose,
had been too large for the bottle; so much so, that I had found it
difficult to put it in again after giving the medicine. The cork of
the bottle which I now held in my hand went in loosely enough. It
was a smaller and an older-looking cork. This decided me. I placed
the bottle under lock and key in Milly's wardrobe, and I gave her no
more medicine that night.

There was no fear of my sleeping at my post after this. My thoughts
for the rest of that night were full of horror and bewilderment. My
course seemed clear enough, in one respect. The proper person to
confide in would be Mr. Hale. He would be able to discover whether
the medicine had been tampered with, and it would be his business to
protect his patient.


CHAPTER XII.


DEFEATED.


I went down to the garden for the flowers as usual next morning, as
I did not wish to make any palpable change in my arrangements; but
before leaving the room I impressed upon Susan Dodd the necessity of
remaining with her mistress during every moment of my absence,
though I knew I had little need to counsel carefulness. Nothing was
more unlikely than that Susan would neglect her duty for a moment.

Peter came again, as he had come to me on the previous morning.