“Yes. He was able to obtain poisons from somebody, and we ought to know exactly what facilities he had for obtaining poisons and what poisons he obtained.”
“Yes, that is so,” said Miller. “Well, I will see about it at once. Fortunately he is a pretty easy chappie to frighten. I expect, if I give him a bit of a shake-up, he will give himself away; and if he won’t, we must try other means. And now, as I think we have said all that we have to say at present, I will wish you two gentlemen good night.”
He rose and took up his hat, and having shaken our hands, was duly escorted to the door by Thorndyke; who, when he had seen his visitor safely on to the stairs, returned and confronted me with a look of deep significance.
“You never told me about that cocaine,” said he.
“No,” I admitted. “It was stupid of me, but the fact is that I was so engrossed by your rather startling observations on the case that this detail slipped my memory.
“And it really had not impressed me as being of any importance. I accepted Wallingford’s statement that the stuff was cocaine and that, consequently, it was no concern of ours.”
“I don’t find myself able to agree to that ‘consequently,’ Mayfield. How did you know that the cocaine was no concern of ours?”
“Well, I didn’t see that it was, and I don’t now. Do you?”
“No; I know very little about the case at present. But it seems to me that the fact that a person in this house had a considerable quantity of a highly poisonous substance in his possession is one that at least requires to be noted. The point is, Mayfield, that until we know all the facts of this case we cannot tell which of them is or is not relevant. Try to bear that in mind. Do not select particular facts as important and worthy of notice. Note everything in any way connected with our problem that comes under your observation and pass it on to me without sifting or selection.”
“I ought not to need these exhortations,” said I. “However, I will bear them in mind should I ever have anything more to communicate. Probably I never shall. But I will say that I think Miller is wasting his energies over Wallingford. The man is no favourite of mine. He is a neurotic ass. But I certainly do not think he has the makings of a murderer.”