sudden fear clutching at her heart, Tuppence ran to the bed. The ` ` hand she lifted was cold as ice.... Mrs. Vandemeyer would never ` ` speak now.... ` ` ` ` Her cry brought the others. A very few minutes sufficed. Mrs. ` ` Vandemeyer was dead--must have been dead some hours. She had ` ` evidently died in her sleep. ` ` ` ` "If that isn't the cruellest luck," cried Julius in despair. ` ` ` ` The lawyer was calmer, but there was a curious gleam in his eyes. ` ` ` ` "If it is luck," he replied. ` ` ` ` "You don't think--but, say, that's plumb impossible--no one could ` ` have got in." ` ` ` ` "No," admitted the lawyer. "I don't see how they could. And ` ` yet--she is on the point of betraying Mr. Brown, and--she dies. ` ` Is it only chance?" ` ` ` ` "But how----" ` ` ` ` "Yes, HOW! That is what we must find out." He stood there ` ` silently, gently stroking his chin. "We must find out," he said ` ` quietly, and Tuppence felt that if she was Mr. Brown she would ` ` not like the tone of those simple words. ` ` ` ` Julius's glance went to the window. ` ` ` ` "The window's open," he remarked. "Do you think----" ` ` ` ` Tuppence shook her head. ` ` ` ` "The balcony only goes along as far as the boudoir. We were ` ` there." ` ` ` ` "He might have slipped out----" suggested Julius. ` ` ` ` But Sir James interrupted him. ` ` ` ` "Mr. Brown's methods are not so crude. In the meantime we must ` ` send for a doctor, but before we do so, is there anything in this ` ` room that might be of value to us?" ` ` ` ` Hastily, the three searched. A charred mass in the grate ` ` indicated that Mrs. Vandemeyer had been burning papers on the eve ` ` of her flight. Nothing of importance remained, though they ` ` searched the other rooms as well. ` ` ` ` "There's that," said Tuppence suddenly, pointing to a small, ` ` old-fashioned safe let into the wall. "It's for jewellery, I ` ` believe, but there might be something else in it." ` ` ` ` The key was in the lock, and Julius swung open the door, and ` ` searched inside. He was some time over the task. ` ` ` ` "Well," said Tuppence impatiently. ` ` ` ` There was a pause before Julius answered, then he withdrew his ` ` head and shut to the door. ` ` ` ` "Nothing," he said. ` ` ` ` In five minutes a brisk young doctor arrived, hastily summoned. ` ` He was deferential to Sir James, whom he recognized. ` ` ` ` "Heart failure, or possibly an overdose of some ` ` sleeping-draught." He sniffed. "Rather an odour of chloral in ` ` the air." ` ` ` ` Tuppence remembered the glass she had upset. A new thought drove ` ` her to the washstand. She found the little bottle from which ` ` Mrs. Vandemeyer had poured a few drops. ` ` ` ` It had been three parts full. Now--IT WAS EMPTY. ` `