4. Poirot investigates by Agatha Christie
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known a chemist to send out a box like that, without his printed name ? ''

" no, I_can't say that I_have .''

i_was becoming quite excited, but Poirot damped my ardour by remarking:

" yet the explanation is quite simple . so do_not intrigue yourself, my friend .''

an audible creaking proclaimed the approach of Annie, so I had no time to reply .

Annie was a fine, strapping girl, and was evidently labouring under intense excitement, mingled with a certain ghoulish enjoyment of_the tragedy .

Poirot came to_the point at once, with a business- like briskness .

" I_sent for_you, Annie, because i_thought you_might_be able to_tell me something about_the letters Mrs Inglethorp wrote last night . how_many were there ? and can_you tell me any of_the names and addresses ? ''

Annie considered .

" there were four letters, sir . one was to miss Howard, and one was to Mr Wells, the lawyer, and_the other two I don't think I remember, sir -- oh, yes, one was to Ross's, the caterers in Tadminster . the other one, I don't remember .''

" think,'' urged Poirot .

Annie racked her brains in vain .

"I'm sorry, sir, but it's clean gone .I don't think I_can_have noticed it .''

" it does_not matter,'' said Poirot, not betraying any sign of disappointment ." now i_want to ask_you about something else . there_is a saucepan in Mrs Inglethorp's room with some coco in_it . did she have that every night ? ''

' yes, sir, it_was put in her room every evening, and she warmed it up in_the night -- whenever she fancied it .''

" what_was it ? plain coco ? ''

" yes, sir, made with milk, with a teaspoonful of sugar, and two teaspoonfuls of rum in_it .''

" who took it to her room ? ''

" I_did, sir .''

" always ? ''

" yes, sir .''

" at what time ? ''

" when I went to draw the curtains, as a rule, sir .''

" did you bring it straight up from_the kitchen then ? ''

" no, sir, you_see there's not much room on_the gas stove, so Cook used to_make it early, before putting the vegetables on for supper . then I used to bring it up, and put it on_the table by_the swing door, and take it into her room later .''

" the swing door is in_the left wing, is_it not ? ''

" yes, sir .''

" and_the table, is_it on_this side of_the door, or on_the farther -- servants' side ? ''

" it's this side, sir .''

" what time did you bring it up last night ? ''

" about quarter- past seven, i_should say, sir .''

" and when did you take it into Mrs Inglethorp's room ? ''

" when I went to shut up, sir . about eight o'clock .Mrs Inglethorp came up_to bed before I'd finished .''

" then, between 7 .15 and 8 o'clock, the coco was standing on_the table in_the left wing ? ''

" yes, sir .'' Annie had_been growing redder and redder in_the face, and now she blurted out unexpectedly:

" and if there_was salt in_it, sir, it wasn't me .I never took the salt near it .''

" what makes you_think there_was salt in_it ? '' asked Poirot .

"Seeing it on_the tray, sir .''

" you saw some salt on_the tray ? ''

" yes . coarse kitchen salt, it looked .I never noticed it when i_took the tray up, but when I_came to_take it into_the mistress's room I_saw it at once, and I suppose I ought_to_have taken it down again, and asked Cook to_make some fresh . but i_was in a hurry, because Dorcas was out, and i_thought maybe the coco itself was all right, and_the salt had only gone on_the tray . so I dusted it off with my apron, and took it in .''

I had the utmost difficulty in controlling my excitement . unknown to herself, Annie had provided us with an important piece of evidence . how she would_have gaped if she had realized that her " coarse kitchen salt'' was strychnine, one_of_the_most deadly poisons known to mankind .I marvelled at Poirot's calm . his self- control was astonishing .I awaited his next question with impatience, but it disappointed me .

" when_you went into Mrs Inglethorp's room, was_the door leading into miss Cynthia's room bolted ? ''

"Oh ! yes, sir; it always was . it had never been opened .''

" and_the door into Mr Inglethorp's room ? did you notice if_that was bolted too ? ''

Annie hesitated .

"I couldn't rightly say, sir; it_was shut but I couldn't say whether it_was bolted or not .''

" when_you finally left the room, did Mrs Inglethorp bolt the door after you ? ''

no, sir, not then, but I expect she did later . she usually did lock it at night . the door into_the passage, that_is .''

" did you notice any candle grease on_the floor when_you did the room yesterday ? ''

" candle grease ? Oh, no, sir .Mrs Inglethorp didn't have a candle, only areading- lamp .''

" then, if there had_been a large patch of candle grease on_the floor, you_think you_would_have_been sure to_have seen it ? ''

" yes, sir, and i_would_have taken it out with a piece of blotting- paper and a hot iron .''

then Poirot repeated the question he had put to Dorcas:

" did your mistress ever have a green dress ? ''

" no, sir .''

" nor a mantle, nor a cape, nor a-- how do_you call it ? -- asports coat ? ''

" not green, sir .''

" nor anyone else in_the house ? ''

Annie reflected .

" no, sir .''

" you_are_sure of_that ? ''

" quite_sure .''

"Bien ! that_is all i_want to_know . thank_you very_much .''

with a nervous giggle, Annie took herself creakingly out_of_the room . my pent- up excitement burst forth .

"Poirot,'' I cried, "I congratulate you ! this_is a great discovery .''

" what_is a great discovery ? ''

" why, that_it_was the coco and not the coffee that was poisoned . that explains everything ! of_course it did_not take effect until the early morning, since_the coco was only drunk in_the middle of_the night .''

" so you_think that_the coco -- mark well what I_say, Hastings, the coco -- contained strychnine ? ''

" of_course ! that salt on_the tray, what else could it have_been ? ''

" it might_have_been salt,'' replied Poirot placidly .

I shrugged my shoulders . if he_was going to take_the matter that way, it_was no good arguing with_him . the idea crossed my mind, not for_the first time, that poor old Poirot was growing old . privately i_thought it lucky that he had associated with_him some one of a more receptive type of mind .

Poirot was surveying me with quietly twinkling eyes .

" you_are_not pleased with me, mon ami ? ''

" my dear Poirot,'' I_said coldly, " it_is_not for_me to dictate to_you . you_have a right to your own opinion, just as I_have to mine .''

"A most admirable sentiment,'' remarked Poirot, rising briskly to_his feet ." now I_have finished with_this room . by_the_way, whose is_the smaller desk in_the corner ? ''

" Mr Inglethorp's .''

"Ah ! '' he tried the roll top tentatively ."Locked . but perhaps one of Mrs Inglethorp's keys would open it .'' he tried several, twisting and turning them with a practiced hand, and finally uttering an ejaculation of satisfaction ." violà ! it_is_not the key, but it_will open it at a pinch .'' he slid back the roll top, and ran a rapid eye over the neatly filed papers . to my surprise, he_did_not examine them, merely remarking approvingly as he relocked the desk: " decidedly, he_is a man of method, this Mr Inglethorp ! ''

a" man of method'' was, in Poirot's estimation, the highest praise that could_be bestowed on any individual .

I_felt that my friend was not what he had_been as he rambled on disconnectedly:

" there were no stamps in_his desk, but there might_have_been, eh, mon ami ? there might_have_been ? yes'' -- his eyes wandered round the room -- " this boudoir has nothing more to_tell us . it did_not yield much . only this .''

he pulled a crumpled envelope out of_his pocket, and tossed it over to_me . it_was rather a curious document .a plain, dirty looking old envelope with a few words scrawled across it, apparently at random . the following is a facsimile of it:

[A picture]

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