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The following morning, Mrs. Inglethorp stayed in bed to breakfast, as she

was rather overtired; but she appeared in her briskest mood about 12.30,

and swept Lawrence and myself off to a luncheon party.

"Such a charming invitation from Mrs. Rolleston. Lady Tadminster's sister,

you know. The Rollestons came over with the Conqueror--one of our oldest

families."

Mary had excused herself on the plea of an engagement with Dr. Bauerstein.

We had a pleasant luncheon, and as we drove away Lawrence suggested

that we should return by Tadminster, which was barely a mile out of our

way, and pay a visit to Cynthia in her dispensary. Mrs. Inglethorp replied

that this was an excellent idea, but as she had several letters to write she

would drop us there, and we could come back with Cynthia in the pony-

trap.

We were detained under suspicion by the hospital porter, until Cynthia

appeared to vouch for us, looking very cool and sweet in her long white

overall. She took us up to her sanctum, and introduced us to her fellow

dispenser, a rather awe-inspiring individual, whom Cynthia cheerily

addressed as "Nibs."

What a lot of bottles!" I exclaimed, as my eye travelled round the small

room. "Do you really know what's in them all?"

Say something original," groaned Cynthia. "Every single person who comes

up here says that. We are really thinking of bestowing a prize on the first

individual who does not say: 'What a lot of bottles!' And I know the next

thing you're going to say is: 'How many people have you poisoned?'"

I pleaded guilty with a laugh.

"If you people only knew how fatally easy it is to poison some one by

mistake, you wouldn't joke about it. Come on, let's have tea. We've got all

sorts of secret stories in that cupboard. No, Lawrence--that's the poison

cupboard. The big cupboard--that's right."

We had a very cheery tea, and assisted Cynthia to wash up afterwards. We

had just put away the last tea-spoon when a knock came at the door. The

countenances of Cynthia and Nibs were suddenly petrified into a stern and

forbidding expression.

The Mysterious Affair at Styles