her side to give the impression that she had died from an overdose of chloral, taken accidentally or with design.”

“Good heavens! Doctor Danton, my mother would never have been guilty of suicide.”

“I know it, my dear. She desired to live for your sake. But how can we convince the public of that? Neither I nor any of the other attending physicians could find anything that would justify a verdict of suicide; and I, noting something unusual about the body, and acting upon certain hints in regard to her condition lately given me by your mother, have ventured to take the course that I have taken. I made a clean breast of the affair to Mr. Dunbar, the famous detective. The[Pg 53] result is that he is here to-night, and his suspicions are fully aroused as to the evidence of an attempted crime. Violet, can you be strong and brave, and control your nerves? Will you be obedient? Can you help me in everything, for your mother’s sake?”

[Pg 53]

The great tears rushed into the girl’s dark eyes.

“Try me—try me!” she cried. “Oh, Doctor Danton, I would do anything for my dear mother!”

“I knew it. Well, then, the first thing you must do is to go straight upstairs to your own room and go to bed.”

“Doctor!”

“You have promised to be obedient, Violet. Now trust me. I believe that I can resuscitate your mother, but no one outside must know it, if you would apprehend her would-be murderer. I want you to appear, and be, perfectly ignorant of all that takes place. I will inform you of all that transpires—all the results—as soon as possible. Trust me, Violet.”

“I will—I do!” she sobbed.

“Listen; this is my plan: everybody must believe that your mother is really dead. I have given her a potion which will keep her quiet, and no one will suspect the truth. The potion must be administered every two hours, or the effect will wear off. I intend to keep her as she is at present for a few hours. In the meantime, Dunbar and I will fill the coffin with lead and bricks, and it shall be buried. The funeral is appointed for ten in the morning,[Pg 54] you know. The coffin must be buried, and the public be blinded to the fact that it contains no body, otherwise the murderer will escape. I will arrange so that the lid shall be fastened down, and no one will be permitted to open it. Then, when everything is ready, I 

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