did quite right, Miss West," said Sir Lyster. "Why didn't you act
before?"

Dorothy felt Sage's eyes were burning through her brain, so intent was
his gaze. "I had forgotten about the taxi. I--I--thought he might be
unwell," said Dorothy.

"Why?"

"Well," she began, and then paused.

"Go on," said Sage encouragingly.

"He has seemed rather strange for some days," she said, "his memory was
very bad. As a rule he has a wonderful memory, and never makes a note."

"How was his memory bad?"

"He seemed to forget what he had written, and was always having letters
turned up."

Sage nodded. "Go on," he said.

"Then," she continued, "he seemed to want always to put things off. He
was undecided; so unlike his normal self. Most of the things he asked
me to attend to."

"And that made you think he was ill," suggested Sage.

"Yes," she said, "that and other things."

"What other things?"

Dorothy screwed up her eyebrows, her head on one side, as if striving
to find words to express what was in her mind. "His manner was
strange," she began. "It is very difficult to give instances; but
previously he had always been so pleasant and--and----"

"Unconscious of himself, shall we say?" suggested Sage.

"That's it," she said brightly. "He was just Mr. Dene. Afterwards he
seemed to be always watching me, as if not quite sure who I was. It
was almost uncanny. I thought perhaps----" She hesitated.

"What?"

"That he was being drugged," she concluded reluctantly.

"When did you first notice this?"

"Let me see," said Dorothy. "This is Tuesday. It was on Thursday
morning that I first noticed it. What struck me then was that he said,
'Good morning' when he came in."

"And what did he usually say?" enquired Sage.

"He used to say 'morning,' or what really sounded more like 'morn,'"
she said with a smile.

"Thank you," said Sage. "Unless these gentlemen have any further
questions to put to you, there is nothing more to be done at present."

"But is he----" she began, then she paused.

"I should not be unnecessarily alarmed, Miss West, if I were you," said
Sage. "Above all, keep your own counsel. Mr. Dene disapproves of
people who talk."

"I know," said Dorothy, rising and drawing herself up with dignity.

"I regard your prompt action as highly commendable, Miss West," said
Sir Lyster. "You will, of course, continue in attendance at the office
until you hear further. If anything unusual trans