noticing the look on his face. "I've always been very careful of
my mushrooms."

"You have certainly succeeded admirably," he complimented.

"I hope you will let me know how Mr. Mansfield is," she said, as
we started back toward our car on the road. "I can't tell you how
I feel. To think that, after a party which he gave for me, he
should be taken ill, and not only that but be robbed at the same
time! Really, you must let me know--or I shall have to come up to
the city."

It seemed gratuitous for Kennedy to promise, for I knew that he
was by no means through with her yet; but she thanked him, and we
turned back toward town.

"Well," I remarked, as we reeled off the miles quickly, "I must
say that that puts me all at sea again. I had convinced myself
that it was a case of mushroom poisoning. What can you do now?"

"Do?" he echoed. "Why, go on. This puts us a step nearer the
truth, that's all."

Far from being discouraged at what had seemed to me to be a fatal
blow to the theory, he now seemed to be actually encouraged. Back
in the city, he lost no time in getting to the laboratory again.

A package from the botanical department of the university was
waiting there for Kennedy, but before he could open it the
telephone buzzed furiously.