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〃Exactly。〃
〃And you admit it？〃
〃Yes。〃
Again； the men exchanged glances。
〃Would you kindly tell us the real nature of the illness？〃 Briggs asked。
〃We want to know if it's 。 。 。 serious；〃 Kelvin supplemented。
〃I dare say you do；〃 Dr。 Alton said dryly。
Briggs said； 〃Our wives have been out； but are expected back at any moment。 They will perhaps be in a little more favorable position when it es to 。 。 。 well 。 。 。 to getting information from you。〃
〃Demanding an explanation；〃 Kelvin supplemented。
〃All right；〃 Dr。 Alton said angrily； 〃I'll give it to you。 I made a mistake in diagnosis。 I thought your sister…in…law was suffering from a gastroenteric disturbance induced by eating food that was tainted。〃
〃And now you say that was not the correct diagnosis？〃 Briggs asked。
〃No；〃 Dr。 Alton said。 〃It was not。〃
〃What was the correct diagnosis？〃 Gordon Kelvin asked。
〃Someone had deliberately given her arsenic trying to poison her；〃 Dr。 Alton said。
In the shocked silence that followed； two women came bustling into the room； two women who looked very much alike； women who spent much time and money in beauty shops and had evidently just been at one that day。
They were girdled so heavily they had an awkward stiffness of motion； their chins were held high and their hair was beautiful。
Dr。 Alton said； 〃Mrs。 Briggs and Mrs。 Kelvin； Mr。 Mason； and Miss Street； Mr。 Mason's secretary。〃
Mrs。 Kelvin； perhaps a few years older than her sister； but with keen inquisitive eyes； immediately took the initiative。 〃What's all this about？〃 she asked。
Boring Briggs said； 〃Dr。 Alton has just told us he made a mistake in diagnosing Lauretta's illness； that it wasn't food poisoning at all； it was arsenic poisoning。〃
〃Arsenic！〃 Mrs。 Kelvin exclaimed。
〃Bosh and nonsense！〃 Mrs。 Briggs snapped。
〃He seems certain；〃 Gordon Kelvin said； 〃apparently〃
〃Bosh and nonsense！ If the man's made one mistake； he could make two。 Personally； I think Lauretta needs another doctor。〃
Dr。 Alton said dryly； 〃You might speak to Lauretta about it。〃
Boring Briggs said。 〃Now； look here； is all this going to get into the newspapers？〃
〃Not unless you let it get into the papers；〃 Dr。 Alton said。
〃You're municating with the police？〃
〃Not as yet；〃 Mason said。
There was a moment's silence。
Mason went on calmly； 〃To a large extent； it's up to you folks。 I take it this is a situation you wouldn't want to have publicized。 I can also well realize that you have received the information with feelings of mingled emotion； but we are now facing facts； and one doesn't argue with facts。〃
〃How do you know they are facts？〃 Briggs demanded。
Mason met his eyes and said coldly； 〃Laboratory facts。 Positive evidence。〃
〃You can't get evidence of something that's past that way；〃 Briggs said。
Mason said； 〃Something that isn't generally known is that arsenic has an affinity for fingernails and hair。 Once it gets in the system； it reaches the nails and the hair and lasts for a long； long time。 Late this afternoon； Dr。 Alton had samples taken of Lauretta Trent's hair and her fingernails。 I； personally； had an analysis made by a laboratory that is highly petent。
〃The answer was arsenic poisoning。 In the hair； they were able to trace the intervals of arsenic poisoning。
〃Now then； Dr。 Alton is Lauretta Trent's personal physician。 He's seen fit to disclose this information。〃
〃Because；〃 Dr。 Alton said； 〃I'm trying to save the life of my patient。 I think I have treated her long enough to understand something of her temperament。 The minute I tell her that she has been a victim of arsenic poisoning； things are going to start happening around here。〃
〃I'll say they are；〃 Mrs。 Briggs said。 〃Lauretta will hit the ceiling。〃
〃One dose of arsenic poisoning；〃 Dr。 Alton went on； 〃may be more or less accidental； two doses indicate a deliberate attempt at homicide。 Apparently； there have been three。〃
His announcement was greeted with silence。
After a moment； Mrs。 Kelvin said； 〃These tests； are they absolute…that is； could there be any mistake？〃
〃They're absolute；〃 Mason said。 〃There can be no mistake。〃
Mrs。 Briggs said； 〃That first time she got sick was after she ate all that Spanish food。 George cooked up the food on the grill in the patio。〃
〃We all had it；〃 Mrs。 Kelvin said。 〃That is； the first time。〃
〃And only Lauretta got sick；〃 her husband pointed out。
Dr。 Alton said； 〃Spanish food would be an ideal means of concealing an attempt at arsenic poisoning。〃
〃That second time she got sick；〃 Mrs。 Briggs went on； 〃George had been doing some more outdoor cooking。〃
〃Who is George？〃 Mason asked。
〃George Eagan； the chauffeur；〃 Gordon Kelvin said。
〃And he doubles as a cook？〃 Mason asked。
〃He doubles in almost anything and everything。 He's with Lauretta most of the time。〃
〃Too much of the time； if you ask me；〃 Mrs。 Kelvin snapped。 〃The man is positively trying to dominate her thinking。〃
Mason said； 〃Would you； by any chance； know whether he is remembered in her will？〃
They exchanged shocked glances。
〃Does anyone know the terms of her will？〃 Mason asked。
Again there were glances and a significant silence。
〃Apparently；〃 Mason said； 〃Delano Bannock was Lauretta Trent's attorney during his lifetime。 Does anyone know if she has a will which was drawn in his office； or whether she went to some other attorney after Bannock's death？〃
Kelvin said； 〃Lauretta jealously guards her private affairs。 Perhaps she feels there is too much of her family living with her。 She has bee very secretive about all of her personal affairs。〃
〃Financial affairs；〃 Mrs。 Briggs said。
〃Both personal and financial；〃 Mrs。 Kelvin added。
Mason said； 〃I have reason to believe that the situation at the present time may be somewhat crucial。〃
〃How did you get a sample of her hair and fingernails？〃 Kelvin asked。
〃I instructed the nurse；〃 Dr。 Alton said。
Kelvin turned to Anna Fritch。 〃Did George Eagan know that you were taking samples of hair and nails？〃
〃She told him；〃 Anna Fritch said。 〃She was bubbling over with enthusiasm that her illnesses might have been the result of an allergy。 She seemed in very high spirits。〃
〃An allergy？〃 Kelvin asked。
Dr。 Alton said； 〃I explained to Nurse Fritch here that I wanted some tests made for an allergy； that there was a possibility the patient's symptoms might have been a violent and acute reaction to an allergy。 I asked her to get samples of hair and nails and to explain to the patient that I was taking the nails because I was going to give her some medicine that would cause a skin irritation and I didn't want her to scratch。 I also said that I thought the digestive upset she had had might have been due to an allergic reaction to a certain type of hairdressing…those things do happen； you know。〃
Kelvin said with dignity； 〃I think instead of standing here and being angry at Dr。 Alton； we should give him our thanks and start doing something。〃
〃Doing what？〃 Mrs。 Briggs asked。
〃Trying to locate Lauretta for one thing。〃
Mrs。 Kelvin said； 〃She's out with that chauffeur of hers。 Heaven knows where they've gone or when they'll be back。 What are we going to do about trying to locate her？ Call the police？〃
Gordon Kelvin said； 〃Of