from the wildly beating heart of some one in the room, "it is my
belief that the person who had access to the operating-room of the
Novella was a person whose nerves were run down, and in addition
to any other treatment that person was familiar with the ether
phosphore. This person knew Miss Blaisdell well, saw her there,
knew she was there for the purpose of frustrating that person's
own dearest hopes. That person wrote her the note, and knowing
that she would ask for paper and an envelope in order to answer
it, poisoned the flap of the envelope. Phosphorus is a remedy for
hysteria, vexatious emotions, want of sympathy, disappointed and
concealed affections--but not in the quantities that this person
lavished on that flap. Whoever it was, not life, but death, and a
ghastly death, was uppermost in that person's thoughts."

Agnes screamed. "I saw him take something and rub it on her lips,
and the brightness went away. I--I didn't mean to tell, but, God
help me, I must."

"Saw whom?" demanded Kennedy, fixing her eye as he had when he had
called her back from aphasia.

"Him--Millefleur--Miller," she sobbed, shrinking back as if the
very confession appalled her.

"Yes," added Kennedy coolly, "Miller did try to remove the traces
of the poison after he discovered it, in order to protect himself
and the reputation of the Novella."

The telephone bell tinkled. Craig seized the receiver.