We stared at one another blankly Poirot had walked over mantel-piece outwardly calm, but I noticed his hands, which from long force of habit were mechanically straightening the spill vases mantel-piece, were shaking violently

"See here, like this,'' at last " something case -- some piece of evidence, slight in itself perhaps, but still enough of clue to connect the murderer crime vital to him destroyed before discovered and its significance appreciated Therefore, the risk, the great risk, of coming in here Finding the case locked, obliged to force it, thus betraying his presence For him that risk, it must something of great importance ''

"But it ? ''

"Ah ! '' cried Poirot, with gesture of anger "That, know ! document of some kind, without doubt, possibly the scrap of paper Dorcas saw in her hand yesterday afternoon And I -- '' his anger burst forth freely -- "miserable animal that ! I guessed nothing ! behaved like an imbecile ! never have left that case here carried it away with me Ah, triple pig ! And now gone destroyed -- but destroyed ? not yet chance -- leave no stone unturned -- ''

He rushed like madman room, and I followed him I had sufficiently recovered my wits But, I had reached the top stairs, out of sight

Mary Cavendish was standing where the staircase branched, staring down hall direction he had disappeared

"What has happened to your extraordinary little friend, Mr Hastings ? He has just rushed past me like mad bull ''

"He's rather upset about something,'' I remarked feebly I really know Poirot would wish me to disclose As faint smile gather on Mrs Cavendish's expressive mouth, I endeavoured and turn the conversation by saying: "They haven't met yet, have they ? ''

"Who ? ''

" Mr Inglethorp and Miss Howard ''

She looked at me in rather disconcerting manner

" it such disaster if meet ? ''

"Well, don't you ? '' , rather taken aback

"No '' She was smiling in her quiet way " like good flare up It would clear the air At present all thinking , and saying so little ''

"John doesn't think so,'' I remarked "He's anxious them apart ''

"Oh, John ! ''

Something in her tone fired me, and I blurted out:

"Old John's an awfully good sort ''

She studied me curiously for minute or two, and then said, to my great surprise:

" loyal to your friend I like you ''

"Aren't you my friend too ? ''

" very bad friend ''

"Why say that ? ''

"Because true charming to my friends one day, and forget all the next ''

I don't know what impelled me, but nettled, and foolishly and not best of taste:

"Yet you invariably charming to Dr Bauerstein ! ''

Instantly I regretted my words Her face stiffened I had the impression of steel curtain coming down and blotting out the real woman Without word, she turned and went swiftly up the stairs, whilst I stood like an idiot gaping after her

recalled to other matters by frightful row going on below hear Poirot shouting and expounding vexed that my diplomacy in vain The little man appeared taking the whole house into his confidence, proceeding I, , doubted the wisdom Once again help regretting that my friend was so prone to lose his head in moments of excitement I stepped briskly down the stairs The sight of me calmed Poirot almost immediately I drew him aside

"My dear fellow,'' , " wise ? Surely you don't want the whole house occurrence ? actually playing criminal's hands ''

" so, Hastings ? ''

" of it ''

"Well, well, my friend, guided ''

"Good Although, unfortunately, little too late now ''

"Sure ''

He looked so crestfallen and abashed that quite sorry, though I still thought my rebuke just and wise one

"Well,'' at last, " go, mon ami ''

" finished here ? ''

" moment, yes walk back with me village ? ''

"Willingly ''

He picked up his little suit-case, and we went out open window drawing-room Cynthia Murdoch was just coming in, and Poirot stood aside to let her pass

"Excuse me, mademoiselle, one minute ''

"Yes ? '' she turned inquiringly

"Did you ever make up Mrs Inglethorp's medicines ? ''

slight flush rose in her face, as she answered rather constrainedly:

"No ''

"Only her powders ? ''

The flush deepened as Cynthia replied:

"Oh, yes, make up some sleeping powders for her once ''

"These ? ''

Poirot produced the empty box which had contained powders

She nodded

" tell me what they were ? Sulphonal ? Veronal ? ''

"No, they were bromide powders ''

"Ah ! , mademoiselle; good morning ''

walked briskly away house, I glanced at him more than once I had often before noticed that, if anything excited him, his eyes turned green like cat's They were shining like emeralds now

"My friend,'' he broke out at last, " little idea, very strange, and probably utterly impossible idea And yet -- it fits in ''

I shrugged my shoulders I privately thought that Poirot was rather given fantastic ideas In , surely, the truth was only too plain and apparent

"So explanation blank label box,'' I remarked "Very simple, said I really wonder that think of it myself ''

Poirot appear listening

"They one more discovery, là-bas,'' he observed, jerking his thumb over his shoulder direction of Styles " Mr Wells told me were going upstairs ''

" it ? ''

"Locked up desk boudoir, they found will of Mrs Inglethorp's, dated before her marriage, leaving her fortune to Alfred Inglethorp It must made just they were engaged It came quite as surprise to Wells -- and to John Cavendish also written on one printed will forms, and witnessed by two servants -- not Dorcas ''

"Did Mr Inglethorp know of it ? ''

" not ''

"One might take that with grain of salt,'' I remarked sceptically "All these wills are very confusing Tell me, how did those scribbled words envelope to discover that will yesterday afternoon ? ''

Poirot smiled

"Mon ami, ever, when writing letter, been arrested fact that know how to spell certain word ? ''

"Yes, often I suppose has ''

"Exactly And not, case, tried the word edge blotting-paper, or spare scrap of paper, looked right ? Well, what Mrs Inglethorp did notice word 'possessed' is spelt first with one's' end subsequently with two -- correctly sure, she had further tried it in sentence, thus: ' possessed ' Now, what did that tell me ? It told me that Mrs Inglethorp writing the word 'possessed' that afternoon, and, having the fragment of paper found grate fresh in my mind, the possibility of will -- (a document almost certain to contain that word) -- occurred at once This possibility was confirmed by further circumstance general confusion, the boudoir swept that morning, and near the desk were several traces of brown mould and earth The weather perfectly fine for some days, and no ordinary boots left such heavy deposit

"I strolled window, and saw at once begonia beds newly planted The mould beds was exactly similar floor boudoir, and also I learnt planted yesterday afternoon now sure that one, or possibly both gardeners -- for there were two sets of footprints bed -- had entered the boudoir, for if Mrs Inglethorp had merely wished in all probability have stood window, and not have come room at all now quite convinced that she had made fresh will, and had called the two gardeners in to witness her signature Events proved that right in my supposition ''

"That was very ingenious,'' help admitting " confess conclusions I drew from those few scribbled words were quite erroneous ''

He smiled

" rein to your imagination Imagination is good servant, and bad master The simplest explanation is always the most likely ''

"Another point -- how did key despatch-case lost ? ''