Oh! what a noble heart was here undone, When Science self destroyed her favourite son! Yes, she too much indulged thy fond pursuit, She sowed the seeds, but death hath reaped the fruit. Byron, on the death of Kirke White. Concurritur: horae Momento cità mors venit. _Horace_, S. 1. 1. 7. As Riche turned the handle of the drawing-room door it was violently shut in his face. He tried to turn the handle again, but the pressure behind was too great, and before he could force the door he heard the key click in the lock. The doctor hurled himself against it several times, but the door was well made and would not yield. "There is some mischief going on inside," he said to himself, and shouted to Villebois to come and help him. Fortunately with his assistance they managed to burst the door open. As he entered he looked round the room. "I say, Villebois, this is a suspicious state of things. The conservatory blinds are down and the gaslights are burning, while the window is wide open. Evidently the bird has flown. Quick, follow me, we may catch the fellow yet," and so saying he dashed through the dining-room into the hall, and out of the front door into the street, followed by the rest. Being the most active of them all, Riche arrived at the corner of the cross-street first, just in time to see the door of a fiacre shut, and to watch it drive off at a gallop. "I saw the villain close the door of the fiacre," he said out of breath to Villebois and Marcel, who had caught him up, "but I was just too late to make out who he was. But no matter, we shall lay our hands on him yet." Evidently it was quite impossible to overtake the fiacre, so after shaking their fists in the direction of the retreating vehicle they all retraced their steps to the drawing-room. They looked around and saw Delapine sleeping peacefully on his couch. "I wonder," said Marcel, "why the conservatory blinds are drawn?" "I can't imagine," replied Villebois. "But see, the window is wide open. The villain must have escaped through it." "Mon Dieu, what is this?" said Riche, picking up a hypodermic syringe. "It is two-thirds full of some fluid. We will keep this liquid gentlemen, its contents may prove extremely useful." Procuring a small empty phial, he poured the contents into it, and corking it up put it into his pocket. "Ah, here is the needle," he added, as he picked it up from the floor. "It is evidently broken too, and the fracture appears quite recent." "Riche, come here," said Villebois, looking at Delapine, "do you notice anything unusual about him?"