After he had read the
forged letter Mr. Turnbull acted sort of faint and went out in the
hall. I could just see him put down a box on the hall table and
lean against the wall. Then he went into the dining room and came
back a second later carrying a glass of water, and I saw him take
up and open a small box and toss some white pills into his mouth;
then he took a good drink, and, picking up a handkerchief lying on
the table, he went back into the library."
There was silence as Sylvester's callous recital of the tragedy
ended. Helen, her eyes tearless and dark with suffering, sank
slowly back in her chair and rested her head against Barbara's
sympathetic shoulder.
"So Turnbull's death was accidental after all," exclaimed Ferguson.
"Or was it suicide?"
"Accident," answered Kent. "I found some nitro-glycerine pills in
the umbrella stand by the hall table." Colonel McIntyre nodded.
"Evidently Turnbull put down his pill box before getting a glass of
water, and in his attack of giddiness accidentally opened your box
of aconitine pills, Mrs.
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