Dr. Japix shook his large head slowly, and delivered himself oracularly:
"Let us not," he said, looking at Fanks from under his shaggy eyebrows, "let us not jump to conclusions. I may find a morphia pill, but harmless."
"Deadly."
"Possibly harmless," said Japix, firmly.
"Probably deadly," rejoined Octavius, stubbornly.
"If deadly," continued the Doctor, quietly, "I grant your theory is a correct one, and that Sebastian Melstane met his death at the hands of the person who put those two extra pills in the box. If harmless, however," said Japix, raising his voice, "it establishes nothing. Melstane may have suffered from sleeplessness. Seeing his nerves were all wrong, I should say it was very probable he did, and taken morphia pills—purchased from, perhaps, a London chemist—in order to get a good night's rest."
"But why two morphia pills?" objected Octavius, earnestly. "Chemists don't sell morphia pills in twos."
"Your objection, sir, is not without some merit," said Japix, approvingly. "Still these two pills may have been the balance of another box, and placed in this one so as to obviate the trouble of carrying two boxes."
"Possible, certainly, but not probable. No, no, my dear Doctor, you need not try to upset my theory. Wait till you analyse those pills."
"I shall do so to-night, and to-morrow you will have my answer."