"But if it be that the patient has used some strange drug, it may be one that does not take effect at once.

As we are as yet ignorant of its potentialities--if, indeed, the whole surmise is correct at all--we must be prepared at all points." Here Miss Trelawny joined in the conversation: "That would be quite right, so far as the action of the drug was concerned; but according to the second part of your surmise the wound may have been self-inflicted, and this after the drug had taken effect." "True!" said the Detective and the Doctor simultaneously.

She went on: "As however, Doctor, your guess does not exhaust the possibilities, we must bear in mind that some other variant of the same root-idea may be correct.

I take it, therefore, that our first search, to be made on this assumption, must be for the weapon with which the injury was done to my Father's wrist." "Perhaps he put the weapon in the safe before he became quite unconscious," said I, giving voice foolishly to a half-formed thought.
"That could not be," said the Doctor quickly.

"At least I think it could hardly be," he added cautiously, with a brief bow to me.