to
see Lady Chepstow regarding the reference of a former servant, one Jane
Catherboys, who used to be her ladyship's maid. After the caller left, a
box of sugared violets was found lying temptingly open on a table in the
main hall. Little Cedric is passionately fond of sugared violets, and,
had he happened to pass that way before the box was discovered, he
surely would have yielded to the temptation and eaten some. In removing
the box the parlour-maid accidentally upset it, and before she could
gather all the violets up her ladyship's little Pomeranian dog snapped
up one and ate it. It was dead in six minutes' time! The sweets were
simply loaded with prussic acid. When we came to inquire into the matter
in the hope of tracing the mysterious caller, we found that Jane
Catherboys was no longer in need of a position; that she had been
married for eight months; that she knew nothing whatever of the woman,
and had sent no one to inquire into her references."

"All of which shows, my dear Cleek," put in Narkom significantly, "that,
whatever hand is directing these attempts, it belongs to one who knows
more than a mere outsider possibly could: in short, to one who is aware
of his little lordship's excessive fondness for sugared violets, and is
aware that Lady Chepstow once did have a maid named Jane Catherboys."

"If," said Cleek, "you mean to suggest by that that this points
suspiciously in Captain Hawksley's direction, Mr. Narkom, permit me to
say that it does not necessarily follow. The clever people of the
under-world do nothing by halves nor without careful inquiry beforehand;
that is what makes the difference between the common pickpocket and the
brilliant swindler." He turned to Ailsa. "Is that all, Miss Lorne, or am
I right in supposing that there is even worse to come?"

"Oh, much worse--much, Mr. Cleek! The knowledge that these would-be
murderers, whoever they are, whatever may be their mysterious motive,
have grown desperate enough to invade the house itself has driven Lady
Chepstow well-nigh frantic. Of course, orders were immediately given to
the servants that no stranger, no matter how well dressed, how well
seeming, nor what the plea, was, from that moment, to be allowed past
the threshold. We felt secure in that, knowing that no servant of the
household would betray his or her trust, and that all would be on the
constant watch for any further attempt. The unknown enemy must have
found out about these precaut