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looked at you suspiciously？〃
〃Very suspiciously。〃
〃And his face cleared up again when you told him that your
question was only suggested by what you had read in the Report of
the Trial？〃
〃Yes。〃
He drew a slip of paper out of the drawer in his desk； dipped his
pen in the ink； considered a little； and placed a chair for me
close at his side。
〃The lawyer disappears；〃 he said； 〃and the man resumes his proper
place。 There shall be no professional mysteries between you and
me。 As your husband's old friend； Mrs。 Eustace； I feel no common
interest in you。 I see a serious necessity for warning you before
it is too late； and I can only do so to any good purpose by
running a risk on which few men in my place would venture。
Personally and professionally； I am going to trust youthough I
_am_ a Scotchman and a lawyer。 Sit here； and look over my
shoulder while I make my notes。 You will see what is passing in
my mind
if you see what I write。〃
I sat down by him； and looked over his shoulder； without the
smallest pretense of hesitation。
He began to write as follows：
〃The poisoning at Gleninch。 Queries： In what position does
Miserrimus Dexter stand toward the poisoning？ And what does he
（presumably） know about that matter？
〃He has ideas which are secrets。 He suspects that he has betrayed
them； or that they have been discovered in some way inconceivable
to himself。 He is palpably relieved when he finds that this is
not the case。〃
The pen stopped； and the questions went on。
〃Let us advance to your second visit；〃 said Mr。 Playmore； 〃when
you saw Dexter alone。 Tell me again what he did； and how he
looked when you informed him that you were not satisfied with the
Scotch Verdict。〃
I repeated what I have already written in these pages。 The pen
went back to the paper again； and added these lines：
〃He hears nothing more remarkable than that a person visiting
him； who is interested in the case； refuses to accept the verdict
at the Macallan Trial as a final verdict； and proposes to reopen
the inquiry。 What does he do upon that？
〃He exhibits all the symptoms of a panic of terror； he sees
himself in some incomprehensible danger； he is frantic at one
moment and servile at the next； he must and will know what this
disturbing person really means。 And when he is informed on that
point； he first turns pale and doubts the evidence of his own
senses； and next； with nothing said to justify it； gratuitously
accuses his visitor of suspecting somebody。 Query here： When a
small sum of money is missing in a household； and the servants in
general are called together to be informed of the circumstance；
what do we think of the one servant in particular who speaks
first； and who says； 'Do you suspect _me？_'〃
He laid down the pen again。 〃Is that right？〃 he asked。
I began to see the end to which the notes were drifting。 Instead
of answering his question； I entreated him to enter into the
explanations that were still wanting to convince my own mind。 He
held up a warning forefinger； and stopped me。
〃Not yet；〃 he said。 〃Once again； am I rightso far？〃
〃Quite right。〃
〃Very well。 Now tell me what happened next。 Don't mind repeating
yourself。 Give me all the details； one after another； to the
end。〃
I mentioned all the details exactly as I remembered them。 Mr。
Playmore returned to his writing for the third and last time。
Thus the notes ended：
〃He is indirectly assured that he at least is not the person
suspected。 He sinks back in his chair； he draws a long breath； he
asks to be left a while by himself； under the pretense that the
subject excites him。 When the visitor returns； Dexter has been
drinking in the interval。 The visitor resumes the subjectnot
Dexter。 The visitor is convinced that Mrs。 Eustace Macallan died
by the hand of a poisoner； and openly says so。 Dexter sinks back
in his chair like a man fainting。 What is the horror that has got
possession of him？ It is easy to understand if we call it guilty
horror； it is beyond all understanding if we call it anything
else。 And how does it leave him？ He flies from one extreme； to
another； he is indescribably delighted when he discovers that the
visitor's suspicions are all fixed on an absent person。 And then；
and then only； he takes refuge in the declaration that he has
been of one mind with his visitor； in the matter of suspicion；
from the first。 These are facts。 To what plain conclusion do they
point？〃
He shut up his notes； and； steadily watching my face； waited for
me to speak first。
〃I understand you； Mr。 Playmore；〃 I beg impetuously。 〃You believe
that Mr。 Dexter〃
His warning forefinger stopped me there。
Tell me； 〃he interposed； 〃what Dexter said to you when he was so
good as to confirm your opinion of poor Mrs。 Beauly。〃
〃He said； 'There isn't a doubt about it。 Mrs。 Beauly poisoned
her。'〃
〃I can't do better than follow so good an examplewith one
trifling difference。 I say too； There isn't a doubt about it。
Dexter poisoned her。
〃Are you joking； Mr。 Playmore？〃
〃I never was more in earnest in my life。 Your rash visit to
Dexter； and your extraordinary imprudence in taking him into your
confidence have led to astonishing results。 The light which the
whole machinery of the Law was unable to throw on the poisoning
case at Gleninch has been accidentally let in on it by a Lady who
refuses to listen to reason and who insists on having her own
way。 Quite incredible； and nevertheless quite true。〃
〃Impossible！〃 I exclaimed。
〃What is impossible？〃 he asked； coolly
〃That Dexter poisoned my husband's first wife。〃
〃And why is that impossible； if you please？〃 I began to be almost
enraged with Mr。 Playmore。
〃Can you ask the question？〃 I replied； indignantly。 〃I have told
you that I heard him speak of her in terms of respect and
affection of which any woman might be proud。 He lives in the
memory of her。 I owe his friendly reception of me to some
resemblance which he fancies he sees between my figure and hers。
I have seen tears in his eyes； I have heard his voice falter and
fail him； when he spoke of her。 He may be the falsest of men in
all besides； but he is true to _her_he has not misled me in
that one thing。 There are signs that never deceive a woman when a
man is talking to her of what is really near his heart： I saw
those signs。 It is as true that I poisoned her as that he did。 I
am ashamed to set my opinion against yours； Mr。 Playmore； but I
really cannot help it。 I declare I am almost angry with you。〃
He seemed to be pleased； instead of offended by the bold manner
in which I expressed myself。
〃My dear Mrs。 Eustace； you have no reason to be angry with me。 In
one respect； I entirely share your viewwith this difference；
that I go a little further than you do。〃
〃I don't understand you。〃
〃You will understand me directly。 You describe Dexter's feeling
for the late Mrs。 Eustace as a happy mixture of respect and
affection。 I can tell you it was a much warmer feeling toward her
than that。 I have my information from the poor lady herselfwho
honored me with her confidence and friendship for the best part
of her life。 Before she married Mr。 Macallanshe kept it a
secret from him； and you had better keep it a secret
tooMiserrimus Dexter was in love with her。 Miserrimus Dexter
asked herdeformed as he was； seriously asked herto be his
wife。〃
〃And in the face of that；〃 I cried； 〃you say that he poisoned
her！〃
〃I do。 I see no other conclusion possible； after what happened
during your visit to him。 You all but frightened him into a
fainting fit。 What was he afraid of？〃
I tried hard to find an answer to that。 I even embarked on an
answer without quite knowing where my own words might lead me。
Mr。 Dexter is an old and true friend of my husband； I began。
〃When he heard me say I was not satisfied with the Verdict； he
might have felt alarmed〃
〃He might have felt alarmed at the possible consequences to your
husband of reopening the inquiry；〃 said Mr。 Playmore； ironically
finishing the sentence for me。 〃Rather far…fetched； Mrs。 Eustace；
and not very consistent with your faith in your husband's
innocence。 Clear your mind of one mistake；〃 he continued；
seriously； 〃which may fatally mislead you if you persist in
pursuing your present course。 Miserrimus Dexter； you may take my
word for it； ceased to be your husband's friend on the day when
your husband married his first wife。 Dexter has kept up
appearances； I grant you； both in public and in private。 His
evidence in his friend's favor at the Trial was given with the
deep feeling which everybody expected from him。 Nevertheless； I
firmly believe； looking under the surface； that Mr。 Macallan has
no bitterer enemy living than Miserrimus Dexter。〃
He turned me cold。 I felt that here； at least； he was right。 My
husband had wooed and won the woman who had refused Dexter's
offer of marriage。 Was Dexter the man to forgive that？ My own
experience answered me； and said； No。 〃Bear in mind what I have
told you；〃 Mr。 Playmore proceeded。 〃And now let us get on to your
own position in this matter； and to the interests that you have
at stake。 Try to adopt my point of view for the moment ； and let
us inq