strychnine; gelsemic acid, etc. Gelsemium is a powerful

depressant to the central nervous system. At a late stage in its action it paralyses the motor nerve endings, and in large doses causes giddiness and loss of muscular power. Death is due to paralysis of the respiratory centre.'

"You see, Hastings? At the beginning I had an inkling of the truth when Japp made his remark about a

live man being forced into the fire. I realised then that it was a dead man who was burned."

"But why? What was the point?"

"My friend, if you were to shoot a man, or stab a

man after he were dead, or even knock him on the head,

it would be apparent that the injuries were inflicted after death. But with his head charred to a cinder, no one is

going to hunt about for obscure causes of death, and a

man who has apparently just escaped being poisoned at

dinner, is not likely to be poisoned just afterwards. Who is lying, that is always the question? I decided to believe

Ah Ling--"

"What?" I exclaimed.

"You are surprised, Hastings? Ah Ling knew of the

existence of the Big Four, that was evident--so evident

that it was clear he knew nothing of their association

with the crime until that moment. Had he been the

murderer, he would have been able to retain his impassive face perfectly. So I decided then, to believe Ah

Ling, and I fixed my suspicions on Gerald Paynter. It

seemed to me that Number Four would have found an

impersonation of a long lost nephew very easy."

"What!" I cried. "Number Four?"

"No, Hastings, not Number Four. As soon as I had

read up the subject of yellow jasmine, I saw the truth. In fact, it leapt to the eye."

"As always," I said coldly, "it doesn't leap to mine."

"Because you will not use your little gray cells. Who had a chance to tamper with the curry?"

"Ah Ling. No one else."

"No one else? What about the doctor?"

"But that was afterwards."

"Of course it was afterwards. There was no trace of powdered opium in the curry served to Mr. Paynter, but

acting in obedience to the suspicions Dr. Quentin had

aroused, the old man eats none of it, and preserves it to give to his medical attendant, whom he summons according to plan. Dr. Quentin arrives, takes charge of the

curry, and gives Mr. Paynter an injection--of strychnine, he says, but really of yellow jasmine--a poisonous

dose. When the drug begins to take effect, he departs,

after unlatching the window. Then, in the night, he

returns by the window, finds the manuscript, and

shoves Mr. Paynter into the fire. He does not heed the

newspaper that drops to the floor and is covered by the

old man's body. Paynter knew what drug he had been

given, and strove to accuse the Big Four of his murder.

It is easy for Quentin to mix powdered opium with the