The list being completed, the contents of the bottles and cases were thereupon thrown away by the Professor's own hand.
"On looking next, however, for the medicine-chest, no such thing was to be discovered in the safe.

The laboratory was searched from end to end, on the chance that some mistake had been made.

Still no medicine-chest was to be found.
"Upon this the Widow Fontaine was questioned.

Did she know what had become of the medicine-chest?
She was not even aware that such a thing existed.

Had she been careful to keep the sealed box so safely that no other person could get at it?
Certainly! She had kept it locked in one of her drawers, and the key in her pocket.
"The lock of the drawer, and the locks of the laboratory door and the safe, were examined.