She took it from him with a hand that no longer trembled. "Yes. I believe you now. I will drink it. Tell me what I am to do, how I am to act when it begins to take effect!" "Do nothing; just go to the sofa and lie down. In a few minutes you will be in a stupor, unconscious of everything and everybody. Your landlady may come up; she can act as she pleases; send for a doctor or not. Probably nobody will come near you till Alvedero arrives. When he sees you there he can act as he pleases too. Anyway, he cannot stay long, because he will be due at the brotherhood, to whom he will bring the report of your sudden indisposition." "And if the doctor comes, will he not guess?" "_Dios_!" cried Moreno, relapsing for a moment into Spanish. "You will be all right again long before the doctor has picked out your complaint from a dozen others that present similar symptoms." She pulled the cork from the phial, and sniffed the contents. "There is no odour about it," she said. "Not the slightest," said Moreno quietly. "I took very good care of that. I think if the doctor does come, he will be a bit puzzled." She drank it down at a draught, then handed the bottle back to her visitor. "I am an adventuress, and you are--well--a sort of adventurer," she said, with a half smile. "Well, you see, I have given you a proof of my faith in you." Moreno put the phial into his pocket, and held out his hand. "Good-bye, for the present." "Shall I see you to-morrow?" asked Violet, as she walked with him to the door. "You say after about twelve hours I shall be myself again." "Certainly," answered Moreno in his gayest tones. Yes, whatever betided, he would certainly see her to-morrow. Her trust in him had made her more attractive than ever. On the whole, he thought he had done the best for her. Once he had thought of getting the Spanish police to arrest her on some false charge, with the view of letting her go as soon as all danger was past. But this method did not appeal to him very greatly. The police would be glad enough to get her into their clutches, but they might not care to let her go so easily. Too much explanation might be necessary, in the first instance. And he always had to adapt his policy to the view of what questions might be asked in London. The tale she could tell now would be a very simple one. She had been attacked in the evening by a sudden seizure, had relapsed into unconsciousness, and been oblivious of everything till the next day. That evening, at a few minutes past nine, Alvedero knocked at the door of the mean house. When the landlady opened it, he perceived that she was in a great state of agitation. "Oh, senor, something terrible has happened. I went up to madame's room some twenty minutes ago to take her her light supper. She was lying unconscious on the sofa, and she has not stirred since."