"POIROT, you old villain,'' , "I've half mind to strangle you ! What by deceiving me done ? ''

We were sitting library Several hectic days lay behind us room below, John and Mary were together once more, while Alfred Inglethorp and Miss Howard were in custody Now at last, I had Poirot to myself, and could relieve my still burning curiosity

Poirot answer me for moment, but at last :

" deceive you, mon ami At most, I permitted you to deceive yourself ''

"Yes, but why ? ''

"Well, difficult to explain , my friend, nature so honest, and countenance so transparent, that -- enfin, to conceal your feelings is impossible ! If I had told you my ideas, the very first time you saw Mr Alfred Inglethorp that astute gentleman -- in your so expressive idiom -- 'smelt rat' ! And then, bon jour to our chances of catching him ! ''

" that more diplomacy than you credit for ''

"My friend,'' besought Poirot, "I implore you, enrage yourself ! Your help most invaluable but the extremely beautiful nature that , which made me pause ''

"Well,'' I grumbled, little mollified "I still think you given me hint ''

"But , my friend Several hints take them Think now, did I ever say that I believed John Cavendish guilty ? Did I not, contrary, tell you that almost certainly be acquitted ? ''

"Yes, but -- -- ''

"And did I not immediately afterwards speak difficulty of bringing the murderer to justice ? not plain that speaking of two entirely different persons ? ''

"No,'' , " not plain ! ''

"Then again,'' continued Poirot, " beginning, did I not repeat that I didn't want Mr Inglethorp arrested now ? That conveyed something ''

" you suspected him as ? ''

"Yes with, whoever else might benefit by Mrs Inglethorp's death, her husband would benefit the most no getting away When I went Styles that first day, I had no idea how the crime committed, but from what of Mr Inglethorp I fancied very hard anything to connect him with it When I arrived chateau, I realized at once Mrs Inglethorp who had burnt the will; and there, , complain, my friend, for I tried my best to force on you the significance bedroom fire in midsummer ''

"Yes, yes,'' impatiently "Go on ''

"Well, my friend, as , my views Mr Inglethorp's guilt were shaken , , evidence against him that inclined that he done it ''

"When did you change your mind ? ''

"When more efforts to clear him, the more efforts himself arrested Then, when I discovered that Inglethorp had nothing with Mrs Raikes John Cavendish who was interested quarter, ''

"But why ? ''

"Simply this Inglethorp who was carrying on an intrigue with Mrs Raikes, his silence was perfectly comprehensible But, when I discovered known all over the village John who was attracted farmer's pretty wife, his silence bore quite different interpretation nonsense to pretend that afraid scandal, as no possible scandal could attach to him This attitude furiously , and slowly forced conclusion that Alfred Inglethorp wanted arrested Eh bien ! moment, equally determined that be arrested ''

"Wait minute I don't see why arrested ? ''

"Because, mon ami, law of your country that man once acquitted can never be tried again same offence Aha ! but clever -- his idea ! Assuredly, man of method See here, that position bound suspected, so he conceived the exceedingly clever idea of preparing lot of manufactured evidence against himself arrested then produce his irreproachable alibi -- and, hey presto, safe for life ! ''

"But I still don't see how he managed his alibi, and yet go chemist's shop ? ''

Poirot stared at me in surprise

" possible ? My poor friend ! yet realized Miss Howard who went chemist's shop ? ''

"Miss Howard ? ''

"But, certainly Who else ? most easy for her of good height, her voice is deep and manly; moreover, remember, she and Inglethorp are cousins, and distinct resemblance , especially in their gait and bearing simplicity itself clever pair ! ''

" still little fogged how exactly the bromide business ,'' I remarked

"Bon ! reconstruct as far as possible inclined that Miss Howard master mind affair You remember her once mentioning that her father was doctor ? Possibly she dispensed his medicines for him, or she taken the idea from many books lying about when Mademoiselle Cynthia was studying for her exam Anyway, she was familiar fact addition of bromide to mixture containing strychnine would cause the precipitation latter Probably the idea came to her quite suddenly Mrs Inglethorp had box of bromide powders, which she occasionally took at night What easier than quietly to dissolve one or more powders in Mrs Inglethorp's large sized bottle of medicine when it came from Coot's ? The risk is practically nil The tragedy will not take place until nearly fortnight later If anyone has seen either touching the medicine, forgotten it Miss Howard engineered her quarrel, and departed house The lapse , and her absence, will defeat all suspicion Yes, clever idea ! had left it alone, possible the crime might never brought home But they satisfied They tried too clever -- was their undoing ''

Poirot puffed at his tiny cigarette, his eyes fixed ceiling

"They arranged plan to throw suspicion on John Cavendish, by buying strychnine village chemist's, and signing the register hand-writing

"On Monday Mrs Inglethorp will last dose of her medicine On Monday, therefore, at six o'clock, Alfred Inglethorp arranges seen by number of people at spot far removed village Miss Howard has previously made up cock and bull story about him and Mrs Raikes to account holding his tongue afterwards At six o'clock, Miss Howard, disguised as Alfred Inglethorp, enters the chemist's shop, with her story about dog, obtains the strychnine, and writes the name of Alfred Inglethorp in John's handwriting, which she had previously studied carefully

"But, never do if John, too, can prove an alibi, she writes him an anonymous note -- still copying his hand-writing -- which takes him to remote spot where exceedingly unlikely that anyone will see him

" , all goes well Miss Howard goes back to Middlingham Alfred Inglethorp returns to Styles nothing compromise him in , since Miss Howard who strychnine, which, after all, is only wanted as blind to throw suspicion on John Cavendish

"But now hitch occurs Mrs Inglethorp take her medicine that night The broken bell, Cynthia's absence -- arranged by Inglethorp through his wife -- all these are wasted And then -- he makes his slip

" Mrs Inglethorp is out, and he sits down to write accomplice, who, he fears, in panic nonsuccess plan probable that Mrs Inglethorp returned earlier than he expected Caught act, and somewhat flurried he hastily shuts and locks his desk He fears that if he remains room to open it again, Mrs Inglethorp might catch sight letter before snatch it up So he goes out and walks woods, little dreaming that Mrs Inglethorp will open his desk, and discover the incriminating document