I could only stare at the outfit before me, speechless.

“In Paris, where I got this,” continued Garrick, “they call these people who use it, ’endormeurs’—­sleepmakers.  That must have been what the Chief meant when he used that word.  I knew it.”

“Sleepmakers,” I repeated in horror at the very idea of such a thing being attempted on a young girl like Violet Winslow.

“Yes.  The standard equipment of such a criminal consists of these little thin glass globes, a tiny glass hypodermic syringe with a sharp steel point, doped cigars and cigarettes.  They use various derivatives of opium, like morphine and heroin, also codeine, dionin, narcein, ethyl chloride and bromide, nitrite of amyl, amylin,—­and the skill that they have acquired in the manipulation of these powerful drugs stamps them as the most dangerous coterie of criminals in existence.  Now,” he concluded, “doubt it or not, we have to deal with a man who is a proficient student of these sleepmakers.  Who is he, where is he, and when will he strike?”

Garrick was now pacing excitedly up and down the room.

“You see,” he added, “the police of Europe by their new scientific methods are driving such criminals out of the various countries.  Thank heaven, I am now prepared to meet them if they come to America.”

“Then you think this is a foreigner?” I asked meekly.

“I didn’t say so,” Garrick replied.  “No.  I think this is a criminal exceptionally wide awake, one who studies and adopts what he sees whenever he wants it.  If you recall, I warned you to have a wholesome respect for this man at the very start, when we were looking at that empty cartridge.”

I could restrain my admiration of him no longer.  “Guy,” I exclaimed, heartily, astounded by what I had seen, “you—­you are a wonder!”

“No,” he laughed, “not wonderful, Tom,—­only very ordinary.  I’ve had a chance to learn some things abroad, fortunately.  I’ve taken the time to show you all this because I want you to appreciate what it is we are up against in this case of Violet Winslow.  You can understand now why I was so particular about instructing Warrington not to let her go anywhere unattended by friends.  There’s nothing inherently impossible in these poisoned needle stories—­given the right conjunction of circumstances.  What we have to guard against principally is letting her get into any situation where the circumstances make such a thing possible.  I’ve almost a notion to let the New York end of this case go altogether for a while and take a run up to Tuxedo to warn her and Mrs. de Lancey personally.  Still, I think I put it strongly enough with Warrington so that—­”

Our telephone tinkled insistently.

“Hello,” answered Garrick.  “Yes, this is Garrick.  Who is this?  Warrington?  In Tuxedo?  Why, my dear boy, you needn’t have gone personally.  Are you sure you’re strong enough for such exertion?  What—­what’s that?  Warrington—­it—­it isn’t—­not to New York?”