“Let me tell you that I only consented to receive those letters from Mrs. Weathered because I saw she was a dangerous woman and I wanted to prevent her from doing mischief. I meant to return them to the writers the moment I knew who they were. In my position I couldn’t afford to do otherwise. I had to think of the reputation of the Club.” Against this there was nothing to be said. It was the second line of defence, of course. Tarleton was not the man to waste time in assailing it. “Mrs. Weathered tells me she gave you something else beside those letters.” Madame Bonnell needed no preparation to meet this blow, which she had clearly been expecting. She heaved a sigh, apparently one of relief. “Ah, I am glad she has confessed that! It has been a burden on my mind. I ought to have denounced her, I suppose, but I saw she was out of her mind, and I was sorry for her. I thought it would be enough if I took the poison from her and kept it in a safe place.” This was neater than even Tarleton had expected. I saw positive respect in his eyes. “Then you have the poison still, Madame, untouched?” “But yes. I placed it among my little aids to the toilet. You will find it in the cupboard you locked up, you remember.” “Perhaps you will oblige me by fetching it. Inspector Charles will unlock the door for you.” The Inspector’s face fell as he rose to escort her. Perhaps he thought that Sir Frank was being deceived. They came back together, Charles carrying the little bottle, which he silently handed to the specialist. Tarleton went through the form of wetting his forefinger, taking up a few grains of the gray powder and tasting it. His face told nothing. “The powder now in this bottle is a harmless mixture of charcoal and common salt. The poison that killed Dr. Weathered was upasine.” Madame Bonnell raised her hands in admirable despair. “_Mille tonnorres!_ That wretched woman was more mad than I thought. She mistook this stuff for--what did you say, sir?” The physician shook his head. “You do her an injustice. I have tested her story and I feel no doubt that she placed the real poison in your hands. I have seen the person from whom she took it and from whose brother I obtained some of it myself.” Again the first line of defence, a rather flimsy one, had been broken through. The second line was instantly unveiled. “I have been robbed, then, that is what you mean? Some wretch has stolen the drug and filled up the bottle again to deceive me.” “It looks like that, certainly.” Could I believe that this was Tarleton speaking? His voice remained perfectly steady as he went on. “Unfortunately, one of the Club servants, named Gerard, has told the police a different tale.” All at once Madame Bonnell turned very white. She began breathing in spasms.