"For the very simple reason that Miss Dallas is of a delicate and nervous constitution," said Etwald. "If she does not marry Mr. Alymer, with whom she is in love, she may die. I quite forget that I should speak in the past tense now, major. Mr. Alymer is dead, and Miss Dallas may pine away of grief. It was to prevent such a catastrophe from occurring that I surrendered my claim to her hand."
"Very generous of you indeed," said Jen, ironically; "but I do not see why you should behave in such a noble manner when you were so much in love with the girl."
"It is for that reason that I changed my mind. As you know I have been attending upon Mrs. Dallas this week, and I saw plainly enough that my case was hopeless; that the girl was dying to marry Alymer. Besides," added Etwald, carelessly, "the mother was not on my side."
"She wants Isabella to marry David."
"So I hear; and he is in town, as Mr. Alymer told me to-night. But what are you going to do about the matter, major?"
"Give notice to the police."
"There will be a post-mortem, of course," said Etwald, carelessly.
"No, no! I hope not," cried Jen, horrified at the idea.
"But there must be," insisted Etwald, cruelly. "Alymer died of poison, and it must be proved that such was the case. Then we may learn if he perished from the poison of the devil-stick. Afterward you must get a detective to search for the person who stole it from your smoking-room. Once he or she is found, and the assassin of your poor friend will be in custody."
"'He or she,'" repeated Jen, slowly. "Dido I mentioned; but 'he!' who is 'he?'"