“To your knowledge once more,” the detective laughed, “but if you had had my experience, you would know that it is by no means safe to assume that apparent strangers are strangers in fact.”
Again I saw that The Tundish was moved and his eyelids gave a flicker. Did the little man notice it too, I wondered? And did he know of the doctor’s previous meeting with Stella in China—or was it a shot in the dark?
He seemed to be entirely absorbed in the little bottle, and to be carrying on the conversation as a sort of accompaniment to his examination of it. It almost appeared as if he thought that if he were only to look at it long enough and hard enough he might wring its secret from it. And all the time he looked his face held its puzzled smile.
“Well, let us return to the dining-room,” he said at length, and he laid the Chinese flagon carefully in the box in his bag along with the other.
We were just leaving the dispensary when a sudden thought occurred to me. “Wait a moment,” I cried. “Surely it is not safe to assume that only two or three drops of poison have been taken from the bottle. Any one would almost certainly fill it up again to its old level from the tap which is all handy at the sink, before they put it back in its place in the cupboard.”
Allport turned round with a smile of amusement at the excitement I had shown. “Exactly so,” he said, “but I must confess that I have been expecting the doctor to call my attention to the possibility.”
“I never thought of it,” said The Tundish.
“I am glad,” was the rather surprising reply.
Chapter V.
Allport’s Alternatives
Without further remark, Allport turned and led the way back to the dining-room, the inspector following immediately behind him, The Tundish and I bringing up the rear. As we walked along the passage the doctor decreased his pace, so that after the other two had passed through the dining-room door, he and I were alone for a moment in the hall. He whispered to me hurriedly, “Jeffcock, you must do all you can to keep the peace between Kenneth and Ethel. You can see for yourself that I can do nothing. What with her hot temper and his subconscious determination to make his conduct match his mouth and chin, we shall have their young love-affair on the rocks before we know where we are.” He gave my arm a squeeze of thanks as I promised to do whatever I could, and we were at the door of the room with no more time for conversation.