rouet and Mr. Vantine?"

"Very simply," said M. Pigot, coldly. "Death came to Drouet
and M. Vantine because the maid of Madame la Duchesse mistook
her left hand for her right. The drawer which contained the
letters is at the left of the cabinet--see," and he
pressed the series of springs, caught the little handle, and
pulled the drawer open. "You will notice that the letters are gone,
for the drawer was opened by Madame la Duchesse herself, in the
presence of M. Lestaire, who very gallantly permitted her to resume
possession of them. The drawer which Drouet and M. Vantine opened,"
and here his voice became a little strident under the stress of great
emotion, "is on the right side of the cabinet, exactly opposite the
other, and opened by a similar combination. But there is one great
difference. About the first drawer, there is nothing to harm any one;
the other is guarded by the deadliest poison the world has ever
known. Observe me, gentlemen!" Impelled by an excitement so intense
as to be almost painful, I had risen from my chair and drawn near to
him. As he spoke, he bent above the desk and pressed three fingers
along the right edge. There was a sharp click, and a section of the
inlay fell outward, forming a handle, just as I had seen it do on the
other side of the desk. M. Pigot hesitated an instant--any man would
have hesitated before that awful risk!--then, catching the handle
firmly with his armoured hand, he drew it quickly out. There was a
sharp clash, as of steel on steel, and the drawer stood open.

CHAPTER XXV

THE MICHAELOVITCH DIAMONDS

M. Pigot, cool and imperturbable, held out to us, with a little
smile, a hand which showed not a quiver of emotion--his gauntleted
hand; and I saw that, on the back of it, were two tiny depressions.
At the bottom of each depression lay a drop of bright red liquid--
blood-red, I told myself, as I stared at it, fascinated. And what
nerves of steel this man possessed! A sudden warmth of admiration for
him glowed within me. "That liquid, gentlemen," he said in his
smooth voice, "is the most powerful poison ever distilled by man.
Those two tiny drops would kill a score of people, and kill them
instantly. Its odour betrays its origin"--and, indeed, the air was
heavy with the scent of bitter almonds--"but the poison ordinarily
derived from that source is as nothing compared with this. This
poison is said to have been discovered by Remy, the remarkable man
who brought a