tell the nurse that the doctor is sent for。 What does Mrs。 Beauly
do？
She runs out panic…stricken the instant Mrs。 Eustace Macallan
looks at her。 Even Mrs。 Beauly； it seems； has a conscience！
Is there nothing to justify suspicion in such circumstances as
thesecircumstances sworn to on the oaths of the witnesses？
To me the conclusion is plain。 Mrs。 Beauly's hand gave that
second dose of poison。 Admit this； and the inference follows that
she also gave the first dose in the early morning。 How could she
do it？ Look again at the evidence。 The nurse admits that she was
asleep from past two in the morning to six。 She also speaks of a
locked door of communication with the sickroom； the key of which
had been removed； nobody knew by whom。 Some person must have
stolen that key。 Why not Mrs。 Beauly？
One word more； and all that I had in my mind at that time will be
honestly revealed。
Miserrimus Dexter； under cross…examination； had indirectly
admitted that he had ideas of his own on the subject of Mrs。
Eustace Macallan's death。 At the same time he had spoken of Mrs。
Beauly in a tone which plainly betrayed that he was no friend to
that lady。 Did _he_ suspect her too？ My chief motive in deciding
to ask his advice before I applied to any one else was to find an
opportunity of putting that question to him。 If he really thought
of her as I did； my course was clear before me。 The next step to
take would be carefully to conceal my identityand then to
present myself； in the character of a harmless stranger； to Mrs。
Beauly。
There were difficulties； of course； in my way。 The first and
greatest difficulty was to obtain an introduction to Miserrimus
Dexter。
The composing influence of the fresh air in the garden had by
this time made me readier to lie down and rest than to occupy my
mind in reflecting on my difficulties。 Little by little I grew
too drowsy to thinkthen too lazy to go on walking。 My bed
looked wonderfully inviting as I passed
by the open window of my room。
In five minutes more I had accepted the invitation of the bed；
and had said farewell to my anxieties and my troubles。 In five
minutes more I was fast asleep。
A discreetly gentle knock at my door was the first sound that
aroused me。 I heard the voice of my good old Benjamin speaking
outside。
〃My dear！ I am afraid you will be starved if I let you sleep any
longer。 It is half…past one o'clock； and a friend of yours has
come to lunch with us。〃
A friend of mine？ What friends had I？ My husband was far away；
and my uncle Starkweather had given me up in despair。
〃Who is it？〃 I cried out from my bed； through the door。
〃Major Fitz…David；〃 Benjamin answered； by the same medium。
I sprang out of bed。 The very man I wanted was waiting to see me！
Major Fitz…David； as the phrase is； knew everybody。 Intimate with
my husband； he would certainly know my husband's old
friendMiserrimus Dexter。
Shall I confess that I took particular pains with my toilet； and
that I kept the luncheon waiting？ The woman doesn't live who
would have done otherwisewhen she had a particular favor to ask
of Major Fitz…David。
CHAPTER XXII。
THE MAJOR MAKES DIFFICULTIES。
As I opened the dining…room door the Major hastened to meet me。
He looked the brightest and the youngest of living elderly
gentlemen； with his smart blue frock…coat； his winning smile； his
ruby ring； and his ready compliment。 It was quite cheering to
meet the modern Don Juan once more。
〃I don't ask after your health；〃 said the old gentleman； 〃your
eyes answer me； my dear lady； before I can put the question。 At
your age a long sleep is the true beauty…draught。 Plenty of
bedthere is the simple secret of keeping your good looks and
living a long lifeplenty of bed！〃
〃I have not been so long in my bed； Major； as you suppose。 To
tell the truth； I have been up all night； reading。〃
Major Fitz…David lifted his well…painted eyebrows in polite
surprise。
〃What is the happy book which has interested you so deeply？〃 he
asked。
〃The book；〃 I answered； 〃is the Trial of my husband for the
murder of his first wife。〃
〃Don't mention that horrid book！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Don't speak of
that dreadful subject！ What have beauty and grace to do with
Trials； Poisonings； Horrors？ Why； my charming friend； profane
your lips by talking of such things？ Why frighten away the Loves
and the Graces that lie hid in your smile。 Humor an old fellow
who adores the Loves and the Graces； and who asks nothing better
than to sun himself in your smiles。 Luncheon is ready。 Let us be
cheerful。 Let us laugh and lunch。〃
He led me to the table； and filled my plate and my glass with the
air of a man who considered himself to be engaged in one of the
most important occupations of his life。 Benjamin kept the
conversation going in the interval。
〃Major Fitz…David brings you some news； my dear；〃 he said。 〃Your
mother…in…law； Mrs。 Macallan； is coming here to see you to…day。〃
My mother…in…law coming to see me！ I turned eagerly to the Major
for further information。
〃Has Mrs。 Macallan heard anything of my husband？〃 I asked。 〃Is
she coming here to tell me about him？〃
〃She has heard from him； I believe；〃 said the Major； 〃and she has
also heard from your uncle the vicar。 Our excellent Starkweather
has written to herto what purpose I have not been informed。 I
only know that on receipt of his letter she has decided on paying
you a visit。 I met the old lady last night at a party； and I
tried hard to discover whether she were coming to you as your
friend or your enemy。 My powers of persuasion were completely
thrown away on her。 The fact is；〃 said the Major； speaking in the
character of a youth of five…and…twenty making a modest
confession； 〃I don't get on well with old women。 Take the will
for the deed； my sweet friend。 I have tried to be of some use to
you and have failed。〃
Those words offered me the opportunity for which I was waiting。 I
determined not to lose it。
〃You can be of the greatest use to me；〃 I said； 〃if you will
allow me to presume； Major； on your past kindness。 I want to ask
you a question； and I may have a favor to beg when you have
answered me。〃
Major Fitz…David set down his wine…glass on its way to his lips；
and looked at me with an appearance of breathless interest。
〃Command me； my dear ladyI am yours and yours only；〃 said the
gallant old gentleman。 〃What do you wish to ask me？〃
〃I wish to ask if you know Miserrimus Dexter。〃
〃Good Heavens！〃 cried the Major； 〃that _is_ an unexpected
question！ Know Miserrimus Dexter？ I have known him for more years
than I like to reckon up。 What _can_ be your object〃
〃I can tell you what my object is in two words；〃 I interposed。 〃I
want you to give me an introduction to Miserrimus Dexter。〃
My impression is that the Major turned pale under his paint。
This； at any rate； is certainhis sparkling little gray eyes
looked at me in undisguised bewilderment and alarm。
〃You want to know Miserrimus Dexter？〃 he repeated； with the air
of a man who doubted the evidence of his own senses。 〃Mr。
Benjamin； have I taken too much of your excellent wine？ Am I the
victim of a delusionor did our fair friend really ask me to
give her an introduction to Miserrimus Dexter？〃
Benjamin looked at me in some bewilderment on his side； and
answered； quite seriously；
〃I think you said so； my dear。〃
〃I certainly said so；〃 I rejoined。 〃What is there so very
surprising in my request？〃
〃The man is mad！〃 cried the Major。 〃In all England you could not
have picked out a person more essentially unfit to be introduced
to a ladyto a young lady especiallythan Dexter。 Have you
heard of his horrible deformity？〃
〃I have heard of itand it doesn't daunt me。〃
〃Doesn't daunt you？ My dear lady； the man's mind is as deformed
as his body。 What Voltaire said satirically of the character of
his countrymen in general is literally true of Miserrimus Dexter。
He is a mixture of the tiger and the monkey。 At one moment he
would frighten you； and at the next he would set you screaming
with laughter。 I don't deny that he is clever in some
respectsbrilliantly clever； I admit。 And I don't say that he
has ever committed any acts of violence； or ever willingly
injured anybody。 But； for all that； he is mad； if ever a man were
mad yet。 Forgive me if the inquiry is impertinent。 What can your
motive possibly be for wanting an introduction to Miserrimus
Dexter？〃
〃I want to consult him？〃
〃May I ask on what subject？〃
〃On the subject of my husband's Trial。〃
Major Fitz…David groaned； and sought a momentary consolation in
his friend Benjamin's claret。
〃That dreadful subject again！〃 he exclaimed。 〃Mr。 Benjamin； why
does she persist in dwelling on that dreadful subject？〃
〃I must dwell on what is now the one employment and the one hope
of my life；〃 I said。 〃I have reason to hope that Miserrimus
Dexter can help me to clear my husband's character of the stain
which the Scotch Verdict has left on it。 Tiger and monkey as he
may be； I am ready to run the risk of being introduced to him。
And I ask you againrashly and obstinately as I fear you will
thinkto give me the introduction。 It will put you to no
inconvenience。 I won't trouble you to escort me； a letter to Mr。
Dexter will do。〃
The Major looked piteously at Benjamin； and shook his head。
Benjamin looked piteously at the Major； and shook _his_ head。
〃She appears to insist on it；〃 said the Major。
〃Yes；〃 said Benjamin。 〃She appears to insist on it。〃
〃I won't take the responsibility； Mr。 Benjamin； of sending her
alone to Miserrimus Dexter。〃
〃Shall I go with her； sir？〃
The Major reflected。 Benjamin； in the capacity of protector； did
not appear to inspire our military friend with confidence。 After
a moment's consideration a new idea seemed to strike him。 He
turned to me。
〃My charming friend；〃 he said； 〃be more charming than
everconsent to a compromise。 Let us treat this difficulty about
Dexter from a social point of view。 What do you say to a little
dinner？〃
〃A little dinner？〃 I repeated； not in the least understanding
him。
〃A little dinner；〃 the Major reiterated； 〃at my house。 You insist
on my introducing you to Dexter； and I refuse to t