"Just a moment, miss," and he hurried to the front bell, to return
after a brief colloquy with a messenger boy, bearing a letter.
"It's for Mrs. Brewster, miss," he explained, as Barbara held
out her hand.
"I'll give it to her and this also," Barbara took the envelope and
a small ice pitcher and glass. "Good night, Grimes. Oh," she
stopped midway up the staircase and waited for the butler to
overtake her, "Grimes, to whom did you give the aconitine on Sunday?"
"I didn't give it to nobody, miss." The butler was a trifle short
of breath; his years did not permit him to keep pace with the twins.
"I was in a great hurry as the druggist kept me waiting, and I had
to serve tea at once."
"But what did you do with the aconitine pills?" demanded Barbara.
"I left the box on the hail table, miss -"
"Great heavens!" Barbara stared at the butler, then without a word
she raced up the staircase and disappeared through the open door of
Mrs. Brewster's bedroom.
The light from the hall shone through the transom and doorway in
sufficient volume to clearly indicate the different pieces of
furniture, and Barbara put the pitcher and glass on the bed stand
and laid the letter which Grimes had given her on the dressing
table, then went slowly into her own bedroom.
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