Part 31 (1/2)

”What was it you had Inez drop into Whitney's coffee?” I asked Craig as we parted from him and rode uptown.

”You saw that?” he smiled. ”It was pilocarpine, jaborandi, a plant found largely in Brazil, one of the antidotes for stramonium poisoning.

It doesn't work with every one. But it seems to have done so with him.

Besides, the caffeine in the coffee probably aided the pilocarpine.

Then, too, I made them smoke cigarettes without the dope that is being fed them. Lockwood's case, for some reason, hasn't gone far. But did you notice how the treatment contracted the pupils of Whitney's eyes almost back to normal again?”

I had and said so, adding, ”But what was your idea?”

”I think I've got at the case from a brand-new angle,” he replied.

”Unless I am greatly mistaken, when the person who is doing the doping sees that Whitney is getting better--why, I think you all noticed it, Inez and Lockwood as well as you--it will mean another attempt to subst.i.tute more cigarettes doped with that drug. I think it's by subst.i.tution that it's being done. We'll see.”

At the laboratory, Kennedy called Norton and described briefly what had happened, especially to Whitney.

”Now is your chance, Norton,” he added, ”to do some real good work. I want some one to watch the Senora, see if she, too, notes the difference in him. Understand?”

”Perfectly,” returned Norton. ”That is something I think I can do.”

XIX

THE BURGLAR POWDER

It was not until after dinner that we heard again from Norton. He had evidently spent the time faithfully hanging about the Prince Edward Albert, but Whitney had not come in, although the Senora and Alfonso were about.

”I saw them leaving the dining-room,” he reported to us in the laboratory directly afterward, ”just as Whitney came in. They could not see me. I took good care of that. But, say, there is a change in Whitney, isn't there? I wonder what caused it?”

”It's as noticeable as that?” asked Kennedy. ”And did she notice it?”

”I'm sure of it,” replied Norton confidently. ”She couldn't help it.

Besides, after he left her and went into the dining-room himself she and Alfonso seemed to be discussing something. I'm sure it was that.”

Kennedy said nothing, except to thank Norton and compliment him on his powers of observation. Norton took the praise with evident satisfaction, and after a moment excused himself, saying that he had some work to do over in the Museum.

He had no sooner gone than Kennedy took from a drawer a little packet of powder and an atomizer full of liquid, which he dropped into his pocket.

”I think the Prince Edward Albert will be the scene of our operations, to-night, Walter,” he announced, reaching for his hat.

He seemed to be in a hurry and it was not many minutes before we entered. As he pa.s.sed the dining-room he glanced in. There was Whitney, not half through a leisurely dinner. Neither of the de Moches seemed to be downstairs.

Kennedy sauntered over to the desk and looked over the register. We already knew that Whitney and the Senora had suites on the eighth floor, on opposite sides and at opposite ends of the hall. The de Moche suite was under the number 810. That of Whitney was 825.

”Is either 823 or 827 vacant?” asked Kennedy as the clerk came over to us.

He turned to look over his list. ”Yes, 827 is vacant,” he found.

”I'd like to have it,” said Kennedy, making some excuse about our luggage being delayed, as he paid for it for the night.