oman's hand."...

"A link!" said Denise Ryland.

"A link between Mrs. Vernon and Mrs. Leroux," explained the physician.
"You see, it had never occurred to me that they knew one another."...

"And did they?" questioned his daughter, eagerly.

"It is almost certain that they were acquainted, at any rate; and in
view of certain symptoms, which, without giving them much consideration,
I nevertheless had detected in Mrs. Leroux, I am disposed to think that
the bond of sympathy which existed between them was"...

He seemed to hesitate, looking at his daughter, whose gray eyes were
fixed upon him intently, and then at Denise Ryland, who, with her chin
resting upon her hands, and her elbows propped upon the table, was
literally glaring at him.

"Opium!" he said.

A look of horror began slowly to steal over Helen Cumberly's face;
Denise Ryland's head commenced to sway from side to side. But neither
woman spoke.

"By the courtesy of Inspector Dunbar," continued Dr. Cumberly, "I have
been enabled to keep in touch with the developments of the case, as you
know; and he had noted as a significant fact that the late Mrs. Vernon's
periodical visits to Scotland corresponded, curiously, with those of
Mrs. Leroux to Paris. I don't mean in regard to date; although in one or
two instances (notably Mrs. Vernon's last journey to Scotland, and that
of Mrs. Leroux to Paris), there was similarity even in this particular.
A certain Mr. Debnam--the late Horace Vernon's solicitor--placed an
absurd construction upon this"...

"Do you mean," interrupted Helen in a strained voice, "that he
insinuated that Mrs. Vernon"...

"He had an idea that she visited Leroux--yes," replied her father
hastily. "It was one of those absurd and irritating theories, which,
instinctively, we know to be wrong, but which, if asked for evidence, we
cannot hope to PROVE to be wrong."

"It is outrageous!" cried Helen, her eyes flashing indignantly; "Mr.
Debnam should be ashamed of himself!"

Dr. Cumberly smiled rather sadly.

"In this world," he said, "we have to count with the Debnams. One's own
private knowledge of a man's character is not worth a brass farthing as
legal evidence. But I am happy to say that Dunbar completely pooh-poohed
the idea."

"I like Inspector Dunbar!" declared Helen; "he is so strong--a splendid
man!"

Denise Ryland stared at her cynically, but made no remark.

"The inspector and myself," continued Dr. Cumberly, "attached altoget