at the latest
I expect to be able to deal with her. No good rushing the business,
though--it's fools who get into trouble because they won't lay their
plans carefully."

The indescribably casual manner in which he referred to his coming
crimes struck a chill to the listener's bones. He had apparently
allowed for everything; any possible effort she might make to escape
from his clutches seemed vain and bootless. She would have lost heart
entirely, only there was the knowledge within her that on one point at
least she had succeeded in foiling him.

"Give me that smallest phial from the rack, will you? I shall want
only the merest trace of this. The rest can go down the drain."

The tap ran again; Esther knew that he was methodically washing out the
bottle that contained the deadly culture. Another hour, perhaps less,
and no power could save Roger from a torturing death, not even the
certainty of what had caused it. Once an invisible touch of the
villainous stuff penetrated the raw tissues of the wound, it would work
its way straight into the blood-stream. Soon, very soon afterwards the
jaw muscles would begin to stiffen.... Oh, if there were any sort of
weapon in reach, knife, pistol, anything! She knew she would have
thrown herself, weak as she was, upon that insensate, deliberate
machine in the furious attempt to wreck it, careless of what might
happen to herself.

"Come, I have no time to lose. Lock the door behind you."

The light was switched off, the door closed, she was alone once more,
this time in almost complete darkness. Again she strained her ears
upon the retreating steps, afraid yet to move her cramped muscles. The
punctured arm throbbed and smarted painfully; every nerve in her body
was stretched like a fiddle-string. Finally, far below, sounded the
door's slam; a moment later, in front of the house, the whir of a
starting engine vibrated upon the still air. The doctor was gone. Now
or never, quick, not an instant to waste, every second lost lessened
her slender chance of reaching the villa in time, even by telephone.
Her plan was laid, she had no need of further deliberation.

First, crossing the floor on tip-toe, she turned on the light. She was
afraid to do this, but it was necessary, and the chances were that
Holliday could not spy the tell-tale crack of light that would show
under the door without coming to the enclosed well of the staircase.
Next she climbed upon her chair aga