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Wargrave nodded approval.

‘Thank you, Miss Claythorne. Now if you will remain here, we will search your room.’

Vera waited patiently in the corridor until they emerged. Then she went in, dressed, and came out to where they were waiting.

The judge said:

‘We are now assured of one thing. There are no lethal weapons or drugs in the possession of any of us five. That is one point to the good. We will now place the drugs in a safe place. There is, I think, a silver chest, is there not, in the pantry?’

Blore said:

‘That’s all very well, but who’s to have the key? You, I suppose.’

Mr Justice Wargrave made no reply.

He went down to the pantry and the others followed him. There was a small case there designed for the purpose of holding silver and plate. By the judge’s directions, the various drugs were placed in this and it was locked. Then, still on Wargrave’s instructions, the chest was lifted into the plate cupboard and this in turn was locked. The judge then gave the key of the chest to Philip Lombard and the key of the cupboard to Blore.

He said:

‘You two are the strongest physically. It would be difficult for either of you to get the key from the other. It would be impossible for any of us three to do so. To break open the cupboard—or the plate chest—would be a noisy and cumbersome proceeding and one which could hardly be carried out without attention being attracted to what was going on.’

He paused, then went on:

‘We are still faced by one very grave problem. What has become of Mr Lombard’s revolver?

Blore said:

‘Seems to me its owner is the most likely person to know that.’

A white dint showed in Philip Lombard’s nostrils. He said:

‘You damned pig-headed fool! I tell you it’s been stolen from me!’

Wargrave asked:

‘When did you see it last?’

‘Last night. It was in the drawer when I went to bed—ready in case anything happened.’

The judge nodded.

He said:

‘It must have been taken this morning during the confusion of searching for Rogers or after his dead body was discovered.’

Vera said:

‘It must be hidden somewhere about the house. We must look for it.’

Mr Justice Wargrave’s finger was stroking his chin.

He said:

‘I doubt if our search will result in anything. Our murderer has had plenty of time to devise a hiding-place. I do not fancy we shall find that revolver easily.’

Blore said forcefully:

‘I don’t know where the revolver is, but I’ll bet I know where something else is—that hypodermic syringe. Follow me.’

He opened the front door and led the way round the house.

A little distance away from the dining-room window he found the syringe. Beside it was a smashed china figure—a sixth broken soldier boy.

Blore said in a satisfied voice:

‘Only place it could be. After he’d killed her, he opened the window and threw out the syringe and picked up the china figure from the table and followed on with that.’

There were no prints on the syringe. It had been carefully wiped.

Vera said in a determined voice:

‘Now let us look for the revolver.’

Mr Justice Wargrave said: