“When did you fix it?” he asked sternly.

“Last night,” I answered.  It was no time to beat about the bush.

“It’s yellower than usual,” he said.  “I’m inclined to think something has gone wrong at the drug store, Minnie.”

I could hardly breathe.  I had the most terrible vision of all the guests lying around like Arabella, twitching and foaming, and me going to prison as a wholesale murderess.  Any hair but mine would have turned gray in that minute.

Mr. von Inwald was watching like the others, and now he came over and caught Mr. Thoburn by the arm.

“What do you think—­” he asked nervously.  “I—­I have had three glasses of it!”

“Three!” shouted Senator Biggs, coming forward.  “I’ve had eleven!  I tell you, I’ve been feeling queer for twenty-four hours!  I’m poisoned!  That’s what I am.”

He staggered out, with Mrs. Biggs just behind him, and from that moment they were all demoralized.  I stood by the spring and sipped at the water to show I wasn’t afraid of it, with my knees shaking under me and Arabella lying stock-still, as if she had died, under my very nose.  One by one they left to look for Doctor Barnes, or to get the white of egg, which somebody had suggested as an antidote.

Miss Cobb was one of the last to go.  She turned in the doorway and looked back at me, with tears in her eyes.

“It isn’t your fault, Minnie,” she said, “and forgive me if I have ever said anything unkind to you.”  Then she went, and I was alone, looking down at Arabella.

Or rather, I thought I was alone, for there was a movement by one of the windows and Miss Patty came forward and knelt by the dog.

“Of all the absurdities!” she said.  “Poor little thing!  Minnie, I believe she’s breathing!”

She put the dog’s head in her lap, and the little beast opened its eyes and tried to wag its blue tail.

“Oh, Miss Patty, Miss Patty!” I exclaimed, and I got down beside her and cried on her shoulder, with her stroking my hand and calling me dearest!  Me!

I was wiping my eyes when the door was thrown open and Mr. Pierce ran in.  He had no hat on and his hair was powdered with snow.  He stopped just inside the door and looked at Miss Patty.

“You—­” he said “you are all right?  You are not—­” he came forward and stood over her, with his heart in his eyes.  She must have known from that minute.

“My God!” he exclaimed, “I thought you were poisoned!”

She looked up, without smiling, and then I thought she half shut her eyes, as if what she saw in his face hurt her.

“I am all right,” she assured him, “and little Arabella will be all right, too.  She’s had a convulsion, that’s all—­probably from overeating.  As for the others—!”

“Where is the—­where is von Inwald?”

“He has gone to take the white of an egg,” she replied rather haughtily.  She was too honest to evade anything, but she flushed.  Of course, I knew what he didn’t—­that the prince had been among the first to scurry to the house, and that he hadn’t even waited for her.