"While you are waiting to hear something further, they may give the poor wretch a fresh dose and kill him." "In which case we should hear something further, unless some fool of a doctor were to give a death certificate." "But that is very unsatisfactory.

The man ought not to be allowed to die." "I quite agree with you, sir.

But we've no evidence that he is going to die.

His friends sent for you, and you treated him skilfully and left him in a fair way to recovery.

That's all that we really know about it.
Yes, I know," the officer continued as I made signs of disagreement, "you think that a crime is possibly going to be committed and that we ought to prevent it.