“What can we prove? Only that the vial contained globules of strychnia. We can believe it, but there is not a particle of direct evidence to prove that Dr. Lynch put them there. He was in the room alone; he protested when Julia was about to take them. Public opinion would be divided in regard to his guilt. I should be accused of attempting to put him out of my way; he certainly would not be convicted of the attempt to kill, and possibly would become more popular on his persecution, as some would call it.” “But this is placing expediency before justice.” “You must believe in many wrongs which it is absolutely quixotic to attempt to redress publicly. We will look for evidence; if we find it, we will act accordingly.” The ladies entered the library. “Julia, Dr. Lynch is an unmitigated villain!” said Eugene. “Not so bad as that, I hope,” replied she, startled at the announcement. Eugene took the plate, repeated and explained the experiment which had been performed before. Dick now prepared a solution, in which one of the suspected globules was used, the extreme bitterness of which was a second and most convincing proof of the strychnia nature of the substance tested. A live frog was taken from the covered basket, and his body and hind legs immersed in the liquid. Though none of the poison was taken into the stomach of the animal, that which was absorbed through the skin produced convulsions, and the experiment resulted in death. This third test conclusively established the poisonous nature of the pellets. The facts in regard to the globules were duly presented, and those who had observed the doctor’s pale face, quivering lip, and trembling knees, realized the meaning of his energetic protest. He was convicted by that interested group. The ladies were sick with horror. The idol was broken; the demigod of Pine Hill was dethroned and cast out. They were all iconoclasts at Pine Hill. “What a terrible man he is!” said Julia, shuddering, as she walked out of the library with Dick. “I tremble when I think that I was pressing you to take those globules,” said he. “It is horrible!” “If the doctor had not been here you might have taken them.” “I certainly should; I was on the point of taking them as it was.” “He adopted a very careless method of poisoning me. The vial always lies on the table in the library, and any person might have partaken of its contents. He deserves to be hanged for his carelessness, if not for his crime.” After tea Dick walked down to the Port, and paid a visit to the doctor, whom he found in his office. “Ah, good evening, Mr. Birch; I am happy to see you, as I always am,” said the doctor. “Have a cigar?” “Thank you; I don’t like your cigars. Doctor, have you that little bottle of globules I gave you?” “Yes, here it is,” replied the wretch, taking the vial from his pocket, and handing it to his visitor. “Do you really think these little pills would have harmed Julia?”