nd the old Belgian who answered my knock info

ndon! Was it a sudden decision on his part, or had he alread

ns I could not resolve. But in the meantime what was I to do? Should I announce the arrest openly at Styles, or not? Though I did not acknowledge it to myself, the thought of Mary Cavendish w

ld be announced in every newspaper on the morrow. Still, I shrank from blurting it out. If only Poirot had been a

htened. I would never have dreamt of suspecting the doctor, had not

n into my confidence, and leave him to make

odigious whistle, as

ight, then. I couldn't

nd see how it makes everything fit in. Now, what are we

refle

ay anything at present. There is no need.

a column of mere padding about "The Styles Poisoning Case," but nothing further. It was rather inexplicable, but I supposed that, for some reason or ot

Poirot had returned yet; but, before I could start, a well-know

ur, mo

, I dragged him into the room. "I was never so glad to see anyone

rot, "I do not know what

rest, of course," I

tein arres

u not k

ent, he added: "Still, it does not surprise me.

puzzled. "What has t

ugged his

it is o

annot see what the proximity of the coast has

Poirot, smiling. "But we were speak

ed for the murder o

ely astonishment. "Dr. Bauerstein arres

es

e too good a farce! Who t

told me," I confessed.

kely. But for esp

age?" I

cise

soning Mrs.

has taken leave of his sense

ought you tho

d a wondering pity, and his full sense

wly adapting myself to the new ide

ot n

never susp

entered

uld bury himself in a little village like this, and should be in t

, "I never though

cticed so long in this country that nobody thinks of him as anything but an English

ard!" I crie

y, a patriot. Think what he stands

k at it in Poirot's

vendish has been wandering about all o

irot. "So long as gossip busied itself in coupling their names

or her?" I asked eagerly-rather too eag

y, but-shall I tell you my ow

es

h does not care, and never has cared

k so?" I could not

of it. And I wi

es

res for someone

am not a vain man where women are concerned, but I remembered certain evidences, t

ound hastily to make sure there was no one else in the room, and quickly produced an old s

robe." Then she hur

rly, and uttered an exclamation of sati

Now tell me, what is t

was attracting Poirot's attention. At the top, it bore the printed stamp of Messrs. Parkson's, the well-known theatric

said, after studying the thing for a

paper again. "I, also, am of your way o

om?" I asked curiousl

ng deduced its existence, I set Miss Howard to sear

n by 'On the top

t promptly, "that she foun

r a piece of brow

r brown paper and cardboard boxes. I have kept them there m

ly, "have you made up you

I believe I know ho

A

e caught me by the arm, and whirled me down the hall, calling out in French in his

by the noise, came hurr

hat magnificent chance! Tell me, on Monday, not Tuesday, Dorcas, but Monday,

oked very

u came to hear of it. A mouse, or some such, must have nibbled th

n of ecstasy, Poirot led the

gh. But the flesh is weak, it is consolation to find that one is on the

did, gambolling wildly down the stre

oice behind me, and I turned to find Mary Cavendish at m

estion about a bell, and appeared so delighted wit

lau

ing out of the gate. Isn

iven up trying to gue

te mad, Mr

is as mad as a hatter; and then, just as he is at

s

looking thoughtful this mornin

her on the subject of Cynthia. I began rather tactfully, I thoug

s, but in this case your talents are quite thrown away. Cynt

t again she stopped me, and her words were so unexpected tha

"do you think I and my h

mured something about it's not being my

it is your business or not, I wil

or I saw that she

ittle bent, and that slim, supple figure of hers swaying gen

I was before I married John-anything, in fact? Well, I will tell you. I will ma

t Cynthia had begun her confidences in much the same way. Besides, a fath

said Mrs. Cavendish, "but

d, "now I u

stand

ign-different-that there

ected with her death-she took an overdose of some sleeping draught by mistake. However that may be, my father was broken-hearted. Shortly afterwards, he went in

head was thrown back. She seemed livi

ou will understand me when I say that it was a deadly life for a girl brought up as I had been. The narrowness, the deadly

es

h for me. But I can honestly say it was not this fact which weighed with me.

and after a mome

him very much, that I hoped to come to like him more, but that I was not in any way what the

gathered on her forehead. She seemed to be

-it is not a pleasing thing for my pride, but it is the truth-tired of me very soon." I must have made some murmur of dis

do you

wered q

m not going to r

are not going

ve here, but

going to

es

t w

long time, an

ause I want

tion of what freedom would mean to such a nature as Mary Cavendish. I seemed to see her for a moment as she was,

know, how this hateful pl

aid, "but-but don't

r voice mocked

thing I could have bi

r. Bauerstein ha

like a mask over her face,

as to break that t

you think?" I

wh

he ar

ntly he is a German spy; so

utely cold and expressionless

or two, and fingered o

moving-thank you, Mr. Hastings." And she walked quietly pa

r Bauerstein. No woman could act

the following morning, and there wa

, we had abandoned the matter, hoping that it might turn up of itself one day. And this is just what did happen, in the shape of a communication, which arrived by the second post from a firm of French music publishers, acknowledging Mr

irot of the new disappointment, but found,

o Londo

the train to Tadminster. 'To see a

y was the one day she wasn't there! Well, tell

nly, mo

irot. I was getting angry. He was really

me aside, and asked if I

all. He can come up her

Something unusually nervous and excit

. "I could go if ther

will you tell him-" he dropped his voice to a wh

atical message of Poirot's, but n

t I would descend from my high horse, and on

ile. Monsieur Poirot was within. W

e, his head buried in his hand

solicitously. "You a

ut I decide an affa

e criminal or not?"

surprise, Poiro

as your so great Shakespeare

ble to correct

ot serious

or the most serious of all t

tha

ness, mon ami,"

uite know w

o do. For, see you, it is a big stake for which I play. No one but I, Herc

tfully, so as not to spoil his eff

up. That is good. He has more intelligence than woul

t I forebore to contradict Poirot, and gently took him to task fo

her young lady was most kind. She was sorry for my disap

then, and you must go to te

m about t

air must all be unravelled from within." He tapped his forehead. "These little grey cells. It is 'up t

that there are no two finger-marks alike

act

and took out some photograp

m, 1, 2, 3. Will you

he proofs a

r. No. 2 are a lady's; they are much smaller, and quite different in every way. No. 3"-I paused for

ping the

es

ize them be

they are i

taking the photographs fro

that as usual, you are

o. 2 were those of Mademoiselle Cynthia. They are not important. I mer

es

dusting powder, etc., which I used. It is a well-known process to the police, and by means of it you can obtain a photograph of the finger-prints of any obj

am really

ny bottle in the top poison cupboard of the dispensary in the Red Cro

e Cavendish's finger-marks doing on it? He never we

es, he

were all togethe

shook h

a moment when you could not have been all together, or it would not have been

I admitted. "But it

g en

nough f

e became rath

once studied medicine to gratify a

ly vague. He got up and hummed a lit

hat was in this part

ked out of

ine," he said, over his sh

te quietly. I was not surpris

pills. It is the official solution, Liq. Strychnine Hydro-clor. that is used in

nage to take th

were not permitted below at that hour, so, in spite of my many apologi

what you were

om your story, for Monsieur Lawrence to go to the poison cu

y does not deceive me. This i

But one thing does strike me. N

is t

as strychnine in Mrs. Inglethorp's tonic. There is the strychnine sold across the counter at Styles St. Mary by Mace. No

the other Belgians opened t

below, asking f

lad

own the narrow stairs. Mary Caven

she explained, "and as Lawrence told me you were w

t, "I thought you had come

you ask me," she pr

essor, madame" -she started ever so slightly-"r

ugh seeking to read some deeper meaning int

walk back with us to

nted,

and feverishly. It struck me that in s

hness. Mary shivered a little, and buttoned her black sports coat closer. The

Styles, and at once the knowledge

d wringing her hands. I was aware of other servants h

am! I don't know

" I asked impatientl

s. They've arrested him-they

Lawrence?"

look come into

t Mr. Lawren

l heavily against me, and as I turned to catch