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"And the second suggestion? That Mrs Inglethorp may have inadvertently taken an overdose?"

"Three, or even four doses, would not have resulted in death Mrs Inglethorp always had an extra large amount of medicine made up at a time, as she dealt with Coot's, the Cash Chemists in Tadminster She would have had to take very nearly the whole bottle to account for the amount of strychnine found at the post-mortem"

"Then you consider that wein any way instru her death?"

"Certainly The supposition is ridiculous"

The saested that the cheht have committed an error

"That, of course, is always possible," replied the doctor

But Dorcas, as the next witness called, dispelled even that possibility The lethorp had taken the last dose on the day of her death

So the question of the tonic was finally abandoned, and the Coroner proceeded with his task Having elicited fro of her mistress's bell, and had subsequently roused the household, he passed to the subject of the quarrel on the preceding afternoon

Dorcas's evidence on this point was substantially what Poirot and I had already heard, so I will not repeat it here

The next witness was Mary Cavendish She stood very upright, and spoke in a low, clear, and perfectly composed voice In answer to the Coroner's question, she told how, her alar, when she was startled by the sound of so

"That would have been the table by the bed?" commented the Coroner

"I opened my door," continued Mary, "and listened In a fewdown and woke my husband, and we all went to my mother-in-law's room, but it was locked----"

The Coroner interrupted her

"I really do not think we need trouble you further on that point We know all that can be known of the subsequent happenings But I should be obliged if you would tell us all you overheard of the quarrel the day before"

"I?"

There was a faint insolence in her voice She raised her hand and adjusted the ruffle of lace at her neck, turning her head a little as she did so And quite spontaneously the thought flashed acrosstime!"