the label.

A general sensation of interest was excited by the appearance of the
next witness--the woman servant. It was anticipated that her evidence
would explain how the fatal mistake about the medicine had occurred.
After replying to the formal inquiries, she proceeded as follows:

"When I answered the bell, at the time I have mentioned, I found the
deceased standing at the fireplace. There was a bottle of medicine on
the table, by her writing desk. It was a much larger bottle than that
which the last witness identified, and it was more than three parts full
of some colourless medicine. The deceased gave me a prescription to take
to the chemist's, with instructions to wait, and bring back the physic.
She said, 'I don't feel at all well this morning; I thought of trying
some of this medicine,' pointing to the bottle by her desk; 'but I
am not sure it is the right thing for me. I think I want a tonic. The
prescription I have given you is a tonic.' I went out at once to our
chemist and got it. I found her writing a letter when I came back, but
she finished it immediately, and pushed it away from her. When I put the
bottle I had brought from the chemist on the table, she looked at the
other larger bottle which she had by her; and she said, 'You will
think me very undecided; I have been doubting, since I sent you to the
chemist, whether I had not better begin with this medicine here, before
I try the tonic. It's a medicine for the stomach; and I fancy it's only
indigestion that's the matter with me, after all.' I said, 'You eat but
a poor breakfast, ma'am, this morning. It isn't for me to advise; but,
as you seem to be in doubt about yourself, wouldn't it be better to send
for a doctor?' She shook her head, and said she didn't want to have
a doctor if she could possibly help it. 'I'll try the medicine for
indigestion first,' she says; 'and if it doesn't relieve me, we will see
what is to be done, later in the day.' While we were talking, the tonic
was left in its sealed paper cover, just as I had brought it from the
shop. She took up the bottle containing the stomach medicine, and read
the directions on it: 'Two tablespoonsful by measure-glass twice a day.'
I asked if she had a measure-glass; and she said, Yes, and sent me to
her bedroom to look for it. I couldn't find it. While I was looking, I
heard her cry out, and ran back to the drawing-room to see what was the
matter. 'Oh!' she says, 'how clumsy I am! I've broken t