Evening star., 1927-03-08
fContinued from Yesterdays Star.l

NontlnueO from festeTua! oIaI
"very early" said Caroline BE.
fore the milk came. | just happened
to be looking out of the window--the
blind was Tapping. 1t was man.
He came in a closed car. and he was
all muffled up. couldn't get a
glimpse of his face. But / will tell
YOU my idea. and you'll see that I'm
right
"What's your idea?"
Caroline dropped her voice mys-
"A Home Office expert" she
IA Home Off7ce expert" said,
amazed. MY dear Caroiine.'
MARK my words, James, youll see
that I'm right. That Russell woman
was here that morning after your
poisons. Roger Ackroyd might easily
have been poisoned in his food that
night
laughed out loud.
'Nonsense" l cried. He was
stabbed in the neck. You know that
as well as I do"
After death. James," said Caro-.
line: Ito make a false clew"
MY good woman" said. "I exam.
ined the body, and | know what I'm
talking about: That wound WASH t
inflicted after death--it was the cause
or death, and you need make no mis-.
take about it."
Caroline merely continued to look
omniscient, which so annoyed me that
i went on:
Perhaps you will tell me, Caroline
If | have a medical degree or If
have not?''
you have the medical degree. /
uare say. James--at least, I mean |
know you have. But you've no
Imagination whatever"
Having endowed you with a
treble: portion, there was none left
over for me-" / said dryly.
was amused to notice Caroline q
maneuvers that afternoon when
Poirot duly arrived. My sister. with.
the subject of the mysterious guest In
every way imaginable. BY the
twinkle in Poirot's eyes, I saw that
ne realized her object. He remained
blandly impervious, and blocked her
]. bowling SO successfully that she her
self was at a loss how to proceed.
Having. / suspect, quietly3 enjoyed
the little game, he rose to his feet
and suggested a .waf}y
1T Is that | need to reduce the
figure little" pr explained.
IOu Will come with me. doctor! !
And, perhaps, later Miss Caroline win
give US some tea"
Delighted" said Caroline. Won't
your--er-guest come In aiso?''
You are too kind" said Poirot.
But no. my friend reposes himself.
Soon you must make his acquaint-
ance."
Quite an old friend Of yours, so
somebody told me-" said Caroline.
making one last valiant effort.
did they?" murmurmed Poirot
Well. we must start"
Our tramp took US in the direction
OF Fernly. had guessed beforehand
that 1T might do so. I was beginning
to understand Poirot's methods.
Every little irrelevancy had a bear.
Ing upon the whole
Il have commission for you. my
friend" he said at last. Tonight, at
my house, / desire to have q little
conference. You will attend, will YOU
not?"
Certainly" I said.
Good. 1 need also all those i'm the
house-that is TO say, Mrs Ackroyd,
Mademoiseile Flora, Maj. Blunt. NJ.
Raymond. | want you to be my am.
bassador. This little reunion is fixed
yes?"
With pleasure; but why not ask
them yourself?"
Because they will then put the
questions: Why? What for? They
will demand what my idea is. And.
as you know, my friend, much dis.
like to: have to explain my little ideas
until the time comes
smiled a little
My friend Hastings, he OF whom
/ told you. used to say OF me that I
was the human oyster. But he was
unjust. OF facts. / keep nothing to
myself. But to every one his own In.
terpretation of them"
When do you want me to do tlis?"
Now, if you will. We are close to
the house."
Aren't you coming in?"
No. me, will promenade myself
In the grounds. / will rejoin you by
the lodge gates in a quarter OF an
hours time"
nodded and set Off on my task.
The only member Of the family at
home proved to be Mrs. AckroYd, who
was slipping an early cup OF tea. She
received me very graciously.
SO grateful to you. DOCTOR" she
murmurmed, 'for clearing up that
little matter with NJ. Poirot. But life
In one trouble after another. You
have heard about Flora, Of course?"
What exactly?" l asked cautiously.
This new engagement. Flora and
Hector Blunt. OF course, not such a
good match AZ Ralph would have
been. But, after all, happiness comes
first. What dear Flora needs Ia an
older man-some one steady and reli.
able. and then Hector is really a very
distinguished man in his way. You
saw the news Of Ralph's arrest in
the paper this morning."
Yes" l said. IL did,
Horrible" Mrs. Ackroyd closed
her eyes and shuddered. "Geoffrey
Raymond was In terrible way.
Rang up Liverpool. But they wouldn't
tell him anything at the police sta.
tion there. In fact. they said they
hadn't arrested Ralph at all. MIR. Raw
mond insists that IT'S all a mistake
a--what do they call it?--canard of
the newspapers. I've forbidden it to
be mentioned before the serva rts.
Such q terrible disgrace. Fancy. IL
Flora had actually been married to
him"
Mrs. Ackroyd shut her eyes in an.
guish. began to wonder how soon
should be able to deliver M. poirot's
invitation
Before had time to speak, Mrs.
Ackroyd was off again.
You were here yesterday. weren't
you, with that dreadful Inspector Rag
Ian? Brute Of a mamie terrified
Flora into saying that she took money