She unclenched her hand at last.

In its palm there lay a little phial containing a colorless solution.

But there was a label upon the phial, and on the label was written "cocaine." It was that which had struck at her influence over Walter Hine.

It was to introduce this drug that Archie Parminter had been brought down from London and the West End clubs.
"It's drunk a good deal in a quiet way," Archie had said, as he made a pretence himself to drink it.
"You leave such drugs to the aristocracy, Walter," Garratt Skinner had chimed in.

"Just a taste if you like.