That young gentleman nodded.
The coroner held the bottle up to the light. Only a few drops remained in it. These he both smelled and tasted.
"You are right," said he, "the contents of this bottle seem pure." And he handed it back to the man, who immediately carried it out of sight.
Leighton looked as if he would like to demand who this fellow was, but he did not. Indeed it seemed hardly necessary. His confident manner, his alert eye which took us all in at a glance, satisfied us that the event we had all dreaded had transpired, and that a detective had entered the house.
Noticing, but not heeding, the effect which this unwelcome intruder had produced upon the proud trio he held under his eye, Dr. Frisbie proceeded with the questions naturally called forth by the acknowledgment made by George.
"You were on this floor, then, previous to your father's death, possibly previous to his taking the draught which has so unfortunately ended his life?"
"I was on this floor an hour or so ago; yes, sir."
"Did you see your father or anyone else at that time?"
"No. To tell you the truth, I was a little ashamed of my errand. It was early in the evening for the social glass, so I just took the bottle off the buffet and went back."
"And the glasses?"