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from the dining room carrying a large tray with pitchers of ice water and
glasses。
〃I thought you had gone to your room； Grimes；〃 she remarked； as the
butler waited respectfully for her to pass him。
〃I've just come in； miss； and found Murray had left the tray in the
dining room；〃 explained Grimes hurriedly。 〃I hope； miss； I'll not disturb
the ladies by knocking at their doors now with this ice water。〃
〃Oh； no； Mrs。 Brewster and Miss Helen have only just gone upstairs。〃
Barbara paused in front of the butler and poured out a glass of water。 〃I
can't wait； Grimes； I am too thirsty。〃
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〃Certainly； miss； that's all right。〃 Grimes craned his head around and
looked up and down the hail； then leaning over he placed the tray on a
convenient table and stepped close to Barbara。
〃I've been reading the newspapers very carefully； miss；〃 he began；
taking care to keep his voice lowered。 〃Especially that part of Mr。
Turnbull's inquest which tells about the post…mortem。〃
〃Well； what then？〃 asked Barbara quickly as the butler paused and
again glanced up and down the hall。
〃Just this； miss；〃 he spoke almost in a whisper。 〃The doctors do say
poor Mr。 Turnbull was poisoned by acca … aconitine；〃 stumbling over the
word。 〃It's a curious thing； miss； that I brought some of that very drug
into this house last Sunday。〃
〃You did！〃 Barbara's fresh young voice rose in astonishment。
〃Hush； miss！〃 The butler raised both hands。 〃Hush！〃 He glanced
cautiously around； then continued。 〃Colonel McIntyre sent me to the
druggist with a prescription from Dr。 Stone for Mrs。 Brewster when she
had romantic neuralgia。〃
〃Had what？〃 Barbara looked puzzled； then giggled； but her mirth
quickly altered to seriousness at sight of the butler's expression。 〃Mrs。
Brewster had a touch of rheumatic neuralgia the first of the month； do you
refer to that？〃
〃Yes； miss。〃 Grimes spoke more rapidly； but kept his voice lowered。
〃The druggist told me what the pills were when I exclaimed at their size …
regular little pellets； no bigger than that；〃 he demonstrated the size with
the tip of his little finger； and would have added more but the gong over
the front door rang out with such suddenness that both he and Barbara
started violently。
〃Just a moment； miss；〃 and he hurried to the front bell； to return after a
brief colloquy with a messenger boy； bearing a letter。 〃It's for Mrs。
Brewster； miss；〃 he explained； as Barbara held out her hand。
〃I'll give it to her and this also；〃 Barbara took the envelope and a small
ice pitcher and glass。 〃Good night； Grimes。 Oh；〃 she stopped midway
up the staircase and waited for the butler to overtake her； 〃Grimes； to
whom did you give the aconitine on Sunday？〃
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〃I didn't give it to nobody； miss。〃 The butler was a trifle short of
breath； his years did not permit him to keep pace with the twins。 〃I was in
a great hurry as the druggist kept me waiting； and I had to serve tea at
once。〃
〃But what did you do with the aconitine pills？〃 demanded Barbara。
〃I left the box on the hail table； miss …〃
〃Great heavens！〃 Barbara stared at the butler； then without a word she
raced up the staircase and disappeared through the open door of Mrs。
Brewster's bedroom。
The light from the hall shone through the transom and doorway in
sufficient volume to clearly indicate the different pieces of furniture； and
Barbara put the pitcher and glass on the bed stand and laid the letter which
Grimes had given her on the dressing table； then went slowly into her own
bedroom。 She could hear voices； which she recognized as those of her
sister and Mrs。 Brewster； coming from Helen's bedroom； but absorbed in
her own thoughts she undressed in the dark and crept into bed just as Mrs。
Brewster passed down the hallway and entered her own room。 The
widow had taken off her evening gown and slippers and donned a
becoming wrapper before she discovered the letter lying on the dresser。
Drawing up a chair she dropped into it； let down her long dark hair； and
settled back in luxuriant comfort against the tufted upholstery before she
ran her well…manicured finger under the flap of the envelope。 A slip of
paper fell into her lap as she took out the contents of the envelope and she
let it rest there while scanning the closely typewritten lines on the
Metropolis Trust Company stationery。
Dear Mrs。 Brewster； she read。 Our bank teller； Mr。 McDonald； has
questioned the genuineness of the signature on the inclosed check。 An
important business engagement prevents my calling to…night； but please
stop at the bank early to…morrow morning。
I feel that you would prefer to have a personal investigation made
rather than have us place the matter in the hands of the police。
Yours faithfully；
BENJAMIN A。 CLYMER。
The widow read the note a number of times； then bethinking herself；
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she picked up the canceled check still lying in her lap； and turned it over。
Long and intently she studied the signature … the peculiarly characteristic
formation of the letter 〃B〃 caught and held her attention。 As the seconds
ticked themselves into minutes she sat immovable； her face as white as the
hand on which she had bowed her head。
Across the hall Helen McIntyre tossed from one side to the other in her
soft bed； her restless longing to get up was growing stronger and stronger。
While Mrs。 Brewster's deft fingers and the cooling cologne had stopped
the throbbing in her temples； they had brought only temporary relief in
their train and not the sleep which Helen craved。 She strained her ears to
discover the time by the ticking of her clock； but either it was between the
half or quarters of an hour； or it had stoppe