I  gave  the  papers  a  cursory  inspection,  without
disturbing  them,  hoping  to  catch  some  name  or
something  which  might  prove  to  be  a  random  clue,
but  I  was  less  lucky  than  Kennedy  had  been  in  his
casual  look  at  Manton's  desk  the  afternoon  before.
Still  able  to  hear  the  valet  at  the  telephone,  I

reached  down  and  opened  the  top  drawer  of  the

174


THE    FILM    MYSTERY

desk.  Here  perhaps  I  might  be  more  fortunate.
One  glance  and  my  heart  gave  a  startled  leap.
There  in  a  compartment  of  the  drawer  I  saw  a
hypodermic  needle — in  fact,  two  of  them — and  a
bottle.  On  the  desk  was  a  fountain  pen  ink
dropper,  a  new  one  which  had  never  been  used.  I
reached  over,  pressed  its  little  bulb,  uncorked  the
bottle,  inserted  the  glass  point,  sucked  up  some  of
the  contents,  placed  the  bulb  right  side  up  in  my
waistcoat  pocket,  and  recorked  the  bottle.  Next  I
took  and  pocketed  one  of  the  two  needles,  both  of
which  were  alike  as  far  as  I  could  see.
Then  I  heard  a  good-by  in  the  hall.  I  closed
drawer  and  desk  hastily.  As  I  caught  the  click  of
the  receiver  of  the  telephone  on  its  hook  I  was
halfway  across  the  floor.  Before  the  colored  boy
could  enter  again  I  was  back  in  my  chair,  my  head
literally  hi  a  whirl.
