believe that some one
drugged Lord De Vayne's wine. Were you privy to any such plan?"

"No, sir--not exactly," said Kennedy slowly, and with hesitation.

"Really, sir," said the Master of Saint Werner's, "such an answer is
grossly to your discredit. Favour us by being more explicit; what do
you mean by `not exactly'?"

Kennedy's passionate and fiery pride, which had recently increased with
the troubles and self-reprobation of his life, could ill brook such
questioning as this, and he answered haughtily:

"I was not aware that anything of _this_ kind was intended."

"Anything of _this_ kind; you _did_ then expect something to take
place?"

"I thought I had taken sufficient precautions against it."

"Against _it_; against _what_?" asked Mr Norton.

Kennedy looked up at his questioner, as though he read in his face the
decision as to whether he should speak or not. He would hardly have
answered the Master or any of the others, but Mr Norton was his friend,
and there was something so manly and noble about his look and character,
that Kennedy was encouraged to proceed, and he said slowly:

"I suspected, sir, that there was some intention of attempting to make
De Vayne drunk."

"You suspected that," said Mr Norton with astonishment and scorn, "and
yet you lent _your_ rooms for such a purpose. I am ashamed of you,
Kennedy; heartily, and utterly ashamed."

Kennedy's spirit was roused by this bitter and public apostrophe. "I
lent my rooms for no such purpose; on the contrary, if it existed, I did
my best to defeat it."

"What made you suspect it?" asked Dr Rhodes, the Master.

"Because a similar attempt was practised on another."

"At which it seems that you were present?"

"I was not." Kennedy was too fiercely angry to answer in more words
than were absolutely required.

"I am sorry to say, Mr Kennedy, you have not cleared yourself from the
great disgrace of giving an invitation, though you supposed that it
would be made the opportunity for perpetrating an infamous piece of
mischief. Can you throw no more light on the subject?"

"None."

"Will you bring the decanter out of which Lord De Vayne drank?" said one
of the seniors after a pause, and with an intense belief in the
acuteness of the suggestion.

"I don't see what good it will do, but I will order my gyp to carry it
here if you wish."

"Do so, sir. And let me add," said the Master, "that a little more
respectfulness of manner would be beco