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Hastings； will you？ Wells is waiting for me。 Oh； here's Monsieur Poirot。
He's helping us； you know； Evie。〃
Miss Howard shook hands with Poirot； but glanced suspiciously over
her shoulder at John。
〃What do you meanhelping us？〃
〃Helping us to investigate。〃
〃Nothing to investigate。 Have they taken him to prison yet？〃
〃Taken who to prison？〃
〃Who？ Alfred Inglethorp； of course！〃
〃My dear Evie； do be careful。 Lawrence is of the opinion that my
mother died from heart seizure。〃
〃More fool； Lawrence！〃 retorted Miss Howard。 〃Of course Alfred
Inglethorp murdered poor Emilyas I always told you he would。〃
〃My dear Evie； don't shout so。 Whatever we may think or suspect； it
is better to say as little as possible for the present。 The inquest isn't until
Friday。〃
〃Not until fiddlesticks！〃 The snort Miss Howard gave was truly
magnificent。 〃You're all off your heads。 The man will be out of the
country by then。 If he's any sense； he won't stay here tamely and wait to
be hanged。〃
John Cavendish looked at her helplessly。
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〃I know what it is；〃 she accused him； 〃you've been listening to the
doctors。 Never should。 What do they know？ Nothing at allor just
enough to make them dangerous。 I ought to knowmy own father was a
doctor。 That little Wilkins is about the greatest fool that even I have ever
seen。 Heart seizure！ Sort of thing he would say。 Anyone with any sense
could see at once that her husband had poisoned her。 I always said he'd
murder her in her bed； poor soul。 Now he's done it。 And all you can do
is to murmur silly things about 'heart seizure' and 'inquest on Friday。' You
ought to be ashamed of yourself； John Cavendish。〃
〃What do you want me to do？〃 asked John； unable to help a faint smile。
〃Dash it all； Evie； I can't haul him down to the local police station by the
scruff of his neck。〃
〃Well； you might do something。 Find out how he did it。 He's a
crafty beggar。 Dare say he soaked fly papers。 Ask Cook if she's missed
any。〃
It occurred to me very forcibly at that moment that to harbour Miss
Howard and Alfred Inglethorp under the same roof； and keep the peace
between them； was likely to prove a Herculean task； and I did not envy
John。 I could see by the expression of his face that he fully appreciated
the difficulty of the position。 For the moment； he sought refuge in retreat；
and left the room precipitately。
Dorcas brought in fresh tea。 As she left the room； Poirot came over
from the window where he had been standing； and sat down facing Miss
Howard。
〃Mademoiselle；〃 he said gravely； 〃I want to ask you something。〃
〃Ask away；〃 said the lady； eyeing him with some disfavour。
〃I want to be able to count upon your help。〃
〃I'll help you to hang Alfred with pleasure；〃 she replied gruffly。
〃Hanging's too good for him。 Ought to be drawn and quartered； like in
good old times。〃
〃We are at one then；〃 said Poirot； 〃for I； too； want to hang the
criminal。〃
〃Alfred Inglethorp？〃
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〃Him； or another。〃
〃No question of another。 Poor Emily was never murdered until *HE
came along。 I don't say she wasn't surrounded by sharksshe was。 But
it was only her purse they were after。 Her life was safe enough。 But
along comes Mr。 Alfred Inglethorpand within two monthshey presto！〃
〃Believe me； Miss Howard；〃 said Poirot very earnestly； 〃if Mr。
Inglethorp is the man； he shall not escape me。 On my honour； I will hang
him as high as Haman！〃
〃That's better；〃 said Miss Howard more enthusiastically。
〃But I must ask you to trust me。 Now your help may be very
valuable to me。 I will tell you why。 Because； in all this house of
mourning； yours are the only eyes that have wept。〃
Miss Howard blinked； and a new note crept into the gruffness of her
voice。
〃If you mean that I was fond of heryes； I was。 You know； Emily
was a selfish old woman in her way。 She was very generous； but she
always wanted a return。 She never let people forget what she had done
for themand； that way she missed love。 Don't think she ever realized it；
though； or felt the lack of it。 Hope not； anyway。 I was on a different
footing。 I took my stand from the first。 'So many pounds a year I'm
worth to you。 Well and good。 But not a penny piece besides not a
pair of gloves； nor a theatre ticket。' She didn't understandwas very
offended sometimes。 Said I was foolishly proud。 It wasn't thatbut I
couldn't explain。 Anyway； I kept my self…respect。 And so； out of the
whole bunch； I was the only one who could allow myself to be fond of her。
I watched over her。 I guarded her from the lot of them； and then a glib…
tongued scoundrel comes along； and pooh！ all my years of devotion go for
nothing。〃
Poirot nodded sympathetically。
〃I understand； mademoiselle； I understand all you feel。 It is most
natural。 You think that we are lukewarmthat we lack fire and energy
but trust me； it is not so。〃
John stuck his head in at this juncture； and invited us both to come up
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to Mrs。 Inglethorp's room； as he and Mr。 Wells had finished looking
through the desk in the boudoir。
As we went up the stairs； John looked back to the dining…room door；
and lowered his voice confidentially：
〃Look here； what's going to happen when these two meet？〃
I shook my head helplessly。
〃I've told Mary to keep them apart if she can。〃
〃Will she be able to do so？〃
〃The Lord only knows。 There's one thing； Inglethorp himself won't
be too keen on meeting her。〃
〃You've got the keys still； haven't you； Poirot？〃 I asked； as we reached
the door of the locked room。
Taking the keys from Poirot； John unlocked it； and we all passed in。
The lawyer went straight to the desk； and John followed him。
〃My mother kept most of her important papers in this despatch…case； I
believe；〃 he said。
Poirot drew out the small bunch of keys。
〃Permit me。 I locked it； out of precaution； this morning。〃
〃But it's not locked now。〃
〃Impossible！〃
〃See。〃 And John lifted the lid as he spoke。
〃Milles tonnerres！〃 cried Poirot； dumfounded。 〃And Iwho have
both the keys in my pocket！〃 He flung himself upon the case。 Suddenly
he stiffened。 〃En voila une affaire！ This lock has been forced。〃
〃What？〃
Poirot laid down the case again。
〃But who forced it？ Why should they？ When？ But the door was
locked？〃 These exclamations burst from us disjointedly。
Poirot answered them categoricallyalmost mechanically。
〃Who？ That is the question。 Why？ Ah； if I only knew。 When？
Since I was here an hour ago。 As to the door being locked； it is a very
ordinary lock。 Probably any other of the doorkeys in this passage would
fit it。〃
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We stared at one another blankly。 Poirot had walked over to the
mantel…piece。 He was outwardly calm； but I noticed his hands； which
from long force of habit were mechanically straightening the spill vases on
the mantel…piece； were shaking violently。
〃See here； it was like this；〃 he said at last。 〃There was something in
that casesome piece of evidence； slight in itself perhaps； but still enough
of a clue to connect the murderer with the crime。 It was vital to him that
it should be destroyed befor