"Yes, sir , sir ''

"How did that Mrs Inglethorp took sleeping powders ? '' I asked, in lively curiosity, as Dorcas left the room "And lost key duplicate ? ''

" sleeping powders, '' He suddenly produced small cardboard box, such as chemists use for powders

"Where did you find it ? ''

" wash-stand drawer in Mrs Inglethorp's bedroom Number Six catalogue ''

"But I suppose, last powder was taken two , of much importance ? ''

"Probably not, but notice anything that strikes you as peculiar box ? ''

I examined it closely

"No, 't say that ''

"Look label ''

the label carefully: " 'One powder taken at bedtime, if required Mrs Inglethorp ' No, nothing unusual ''

"Not the fact no chemist's name ? ''

"Ah ! '' I exclaimed " , odd ! ''

" ever known chemist to send out box like that, without his printed name ? ''

"No, 't say that ''

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

"Yet the explanation is quite simple So intrigue yourself, my friend ''

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

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

Poirot came point at once, with business-like briskness

" , Annie, because able me something letters Mrs Inglethorp wrote last night were there ? And tell me any names and addresses ? ''

Annie considered

"There were four letters, sir One was to Miss Howard, and one was to Mr Wells, the lawyer, 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 noticed it ''

"It matter,'' said Poirot, not betraying any sign of disappointment "Now to about something else saucepan in Mrs Inglethorp's room with some coco Did she have that every night ? ''

'Yes, sir, put in her room every evening, and she warmed it up night -- whenever she fancied it ''

" it ? Plain coco ? ''

"Yes, sir, made with milk, with teaspoonful of sugar, and two teaspoonfuls of rum ''

"Who took it to her room ? ''

" , sir ''

"Always ? ''

"Yes, sir ''

"At what time ? ''

"When I went to draw the curtains, as rule, sir ''

"Did you bring it straight up kitchen then ? ''

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

"The swing door is left wing, not ? ''

"Yes, sir ''

" table, side door, or farther -- servants' side ? ''

"It's this side, sir ''

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

"About quarter-past seven, 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 bed before I'd finished ''

"Then, between 7 15 and 8 o'clock, the coco was standing table left wing ? ''

"Yes, sir '' Annie growing redder and redder face, and now she blurted out unexpectedly:

"And if salt , sir, it wasn't me I never took the salt near it ''

"What makes salt ? '' asked Poirot

"Seeing it tray, sir ''

"You saw some salt tray ? ''

"Yes Coarse kitchen salt, it looked I never noticed it when the tray up, but when it mistress's room it at once, and I suppose I taken it down again, and asked Cook some fresh But in hurry, because Dorcas was out, and maybe the coco itself was all right, salt had only gone 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 gaped if she had realized that her "coarse kitchen salt'' was strychnine, 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

" went into Mrs Inglethorp's room, door leading into Miss Cynthia's room bolted ? ''

"Oh ! Yes, sir; it always was It had never been opened ''

" door into Mr Inglethorp's room ? Did you notice was bolted too ? ''

Annie hesitated

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

" 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 passage, ''

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

"Candle grease ? Oh, no, sir Mrs Inglethorp didn't have candle, only reading-lamp ''

"Then, if there large patch of candle grease floor, sure seen it ? ''

"Yes, sir, and taken it out with piece of blotting-paper and hot iron ''

Then Poirot repeated the question he had put to Dorcas:

"Did your mistress ever have green dress ? ''

"No, sir ''

"Nor mantle, nor cape, nor -- how call it ? -- sports coat ? ''

"Not green, sir ''

"Nor anyone else house ? ''

Annie reflected

"No, sir ''

" ? ''

" ''

"Bien ! all ''

With nervous giggle, Annie took herself creakingly room My pent-up excitement burst forth

"Poirot,'' I cried, "I congratulate you ! great discovery ''

" great discovery ? ''

"Why, the coco and not the coffee that was poisoned That explains everything ! it take effect until the early morning, coco was only drunk middle night ''

"So coco -- mark well what , Hastings, the coco -- contained strychnine ? ''

" ! That salt tray, what else could it ? ''

"It salt,'' replied Poirot placidly

I shrugged my shoulders If going to matter that way, no good arguing The idea crossed my mind, not first time, that poor old Poirot was growing old Privately it lucky that he had associated some one of more receptive type of mind

Poirot was surveying me with quietly twinkling eyes

" pleased with me, mon ami ? ''

"My dear Poirot,'' coldly, " to dictate right to your own opinion, just as to mine ''

"A most admirable sentiment,'' remarked Poirot, rising briskly feet "Now finished room , whose smaller desk 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 practiced hand, and finally uttering an ejaculation of satisfaction "Violà ! the key, but open it at pinch '' He slid back the roll top, and ran rapid eye over the neatly filed papers To my surprise, examine them, merely remarking approvingly as he relocked the desk: "Decidedly, man of method, this Mr Inglethorp ! ''

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

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

"There were no stamps desk, but there , eh, mon ami ? There ? Yes'' -- his eyes wandered round the room -- "this boudoir has nothing more us It yield much Only this ''

He pulled crumpled envelope out pocket, and tossed it over rather curious document plain, dirty looking old envelope with few words scrawled across it, apparently at random The following is facsimile of it: