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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
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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 nightwhenever 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 fartherservants'
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
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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 a reading…lamp。〃
〃Then； if there had been a large patch of candle grease on the floor；
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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 ahow do you call it？a sports 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 cocomark 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。
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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。 〃Viola！ 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。
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CHAPTER V。 〃IT ISN'T
STRYCHNINE； IS IT？〃
〃Where did you find this？〃 I asked Poirot； in lively curiosity。
〃In the waste…paper basket。 You recognise the handwriting？〃
〃Yes； it is Mrs。 Inglethorp's。 But what does it mean？〃
Poirot shrugged his shoulders。
〃I cannot saybut it is suggestive。〃
A wild idea flashed across me。 Was it possible that Mrs。 Inglethorp's
mind was deranged？ Had she some fan