"That's right, young man," was the answer. "Mrs. Jones o' Baxter's Rents, and there ain't no one in Shadwell wot can say to the contrary." "And why do you think that Doctor Ashton has poisoned you?" Mrs. Jones leaned forward mysteriously and tapped the bottle. "You can see for yourself, young man. 'E's given me the wrong medicine. Mind you, I don't say that 'e done it a purpose. I expect 'e was a bit 'urried and made a mistake. All the same, there ain't no gettin' away from it. 'E's given me the wrong medicine, an' I'm pizened." Colin extracted the cork and took a sniff at the contents. "It seems all right to me," he observed. "There's nothing wrong with the smell," admitted Mrs. Jones. "It's the colour wot I'm speakin' about." "What's the matter with the colour?" demanded Colin. "Some of the best medicines are red." "Not mine," returned Mrs. Jones doggedly. "My medicine's yeller, always 'as bin. The moment I set me eyes on that bottle I says to meself, ''E's made a mistake.'" "Then why on earth did you take it?" Mrs. Jones looked a trifle surprised. "Well, young man, I'd paid ninepence for it, an', not knowin' then as it was pizen, I didn't see no reason for wastin' the money." "And you say it made you ill?" "It's only through the mercy o' Gawd that I'm sittin' 'ere now," said Mrs. Jones impressively. "D'rec'ly the third dose passed me lips I come over queer." Colin poured out a little of the medicine into a glass and tasted it judiciously. "I don't think you've any reason to be anxious, Mrs. Jones," he said. "Doctor Ashton was only trying you with a new prescription. It's a very good one indeed, but I suppose it doesn't quite suit your constitution." Mrs. Jones looked round and lowered her voice. "If that's the case," she demanded, "why 'as 'e run away?" "He hasn't run away," said Colin. "He's coming back to-morrow or the next day. He's only gone up north to look after his wife's mother." There was a pause. "Well," said Mrs. Jones doubtfully, "I 'as my own opinions on that point, but seein' as 'ow you're a friend of 'is I don't blame you for standin' up for 'im. Besides, between you an' me, young man, I wouldn't get Doctor Hashton into trouble, not on no account. We all make mistakes at times, even the best of us. You give me a bottle o' the yeller medicine, the same as I always 'as, an' I sha'n't say no more about it." "Right you are," said Colin. He rose from his chair, and, crossing to the cupboard where Mark kept two or three innocuous and highly coloured mixtures ready made up, filled a bottle with the desired specific. Mrs. Jones inspected it with approval. "I'm much obliged to you, young man," she observed. "Hall's well that hends well, as the sayin' is. You can tell the doctor from me that 'e won't 'ear no more o' this, so 'e can come back 'ome just as soon as ever 'e likes."